Capital Punishment
by GEM1588
Summary: The Quileute werewolf pack and the Cullen vampire coven seem to have accepted the inter-species imprint between Jacob Black and Renesemee Cullen. However the Lycan Nation is not as tolerant. AU. Hiatus.
1. Chapter 1 Guilty Until Proven Innocent

**Author's note:**

**Over the years I've written several short stories about a legacy of Wiccan bounty Hunters, but this is the first time I've ever had the guts to let anyone read the insanity that comes from the scary place known as my mind.**

**The non-Twilight characters have a long history together, so I've added a few back stories that bookmark a few significant events in their past. The story is finished, but I'm posting the chapters one by one. I'm hesitant to put too much of myself out there, because quite frankly, I'm intimidated by the writers on this site. You guys are simply OUTSTANDING!**

**Please let me know what you think. Good/Bad/In-between. Anonymous reviews are enabled.**

**Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. **

_Blessed Be - GEM1588_

* * *

Chapter One – Guilty Until Proven Innocent

"She is HALF-VAMPIRE!" Harper's deep voice boomed through the cavernous throne room. "Are you certain?" The king's voice grew angrier, the veins on his neck bulging with rage. His fists clenched tightly, his jagged fingernails piercing through the skin on his palms. There was a soft splash as drops of his blood fell to the floor. "Answer ME!" He howled to the young woman who stood wide eyed before him.

"I saw them together with my own eyes." She replied omitting any evidence of emotion from her voice. She would not allow herself to be intimidated. She was a Scout by trade, a specialized spy. Her alliance was neutral. She did not fear the great king. He would give her the respect she was due.

"This cannot be. " Harper said his voice loud and regal as he spoke to those gathered before him. "Mating with a vampire hybrid disrespects our breed, our bloodline and our legacy. It is a crime of treason and so he must be punished.

The Lycan princes roared in agreement with their father. Harper had many, many children, but only the strongest warriors survived to adulthood. The princes were the most powerful of all his sons. Harper hoped when his time as king ended, one of his sons would succeed him. As king the remainder of their lifetime would be spent uniting the Lycan Nation, defending their territories and most important ensuring the purity of their bloodline.

"Tell me his name. The one who has committed this atrocity against our brethren"

The Scout stood before the king a slight smile on her face. "That information is valuable, My Lord"

Harper's rage subsided slightly. The Scout spoke the truth. She could have easily gone elsewhere with this information, instead she'd come to him first. "What is it you want in return?" he inquired.

"In addition to my modest fees, I ask sanctuary from the vampire's coven and the traitor's pack, until this matter is resolved"

"Fair enough. You have my word, that while you remain in my territory you will be safe." Harper looked to his sons, "See to it that the legions know about this."

"Thank you, My Lord."

"And the name"

"Jacob Black of La Push, Washington State"

Harper growled at the mention of La Push. That territory had always been a problem. A century or so ago, when Silver had held the throne the pack had deliberately disobeyed a direct order by entering into a treaty with a coven of vampires. A TREATY! It was unjustifiable. Lycans should destroy vampires, not make peace with them. Now it appeared this pack would be breeding with them. Silver should have destroyed their bloodline, instead he exiled them. What a fool! As king, Harper knew HE would not repeat the mistakes of the past.

He sat tensely on his throne, contemplating how to most effectively handle the situation at hand. This had to be stopped at all costs. There would be bloodshed and death.

"My Lord" Queen Scarlet spoke to her husband gently. Harper turned to her, his silent partner. She was no longer young, but still possessed great beauty. Gazing into her eyes, he wondered why this Jacob Black would forsake the love of one of their own for a walking corpse. Unthinkable. "We are at your service. Whatever you command of us will be done." The King looked away from her to the princes who stood lined up before him.

"Leave me. I will send for you when I am ready"

They obeyed the great king's order, leaving Harper alone to plot the destruction of Jacob Black of La Push, Washington State. Once the door shut behind his last son, Harper leapt from his throne, casting off his robe and transformed into the beast he kept hidden within himself. His black fur was now spotted with patches of grey. The scars from his many battles though healed remained fresh in his memory. He growled loudly, pacing the stone floor. _Jacob Black must die._

*****

Mia sighed as the blood soaked into her jeans. They were her favorite pair, hugged her body in all the right places and now they were ruined. Who knew when she'd be able to get back to the boutique in Paris for another pair. But that was life. Her life. The life of an Elite Bounty Hunter.

"Come on" She muttered under her breath as she lost her grip on the slippery intestine. Wiping the excess fluid from her latex gloves on the sundress of the drug mule, she continued her disembowelment of the corpse. Buried under mountains of intestine was the woman's stomach. Mia grasped it firmly with both hands, yanking it free of the body cavity that had been its safe haven. With a quick slash of her knife, she slit the stomach open. Ripping the gash wider with her hands she found the prize inside. She stood up with the packages in her hand, looking around for any witnesses. The desert was empty except for the bodies of the three women.

Mia stripped herself of her soiled clothes. The sun's warm rays caressed her tan skin. She was tall, close to six feet with long dark hair that fell past her shoulders. She knelt in the sand, fumbling to get her magic bag unzipped. The small packets of heroin were in a pile next to her. The drugs would be very useful. Humans were wonderful sources of information, especially with the right encouragement.

The floral sundress she removed from her bag had been a gift from Jason. It reminded her of the good times they once had together, before life had gotten so complicated. He was halfway around the world now in Costa Rica. "Why am I thinking about him?" She asked herself out loud as she stepped into the dress, pulling it over her hips_. Keep your head in the game, Mia _She told herself. Gathering her hair to the side, she tied the straps of the halter together, and pushed her breasts in and up. She wasn't sure how she looked, but as long as her nipples weren't hanging out she should be able to make it past the border with minimal attention.

Setting the bodies and her soiled clothing on fire, she zipped her magic bag closed and set out for the closest town. It was hot and dry perhaps a few shots of tequila would quench her thirst. She'd barely gone 100 yards when her cell phone began ringing. She smiled to herself. Getting reception out here was an unexpected surprise. Pulling her bag in front of her, she continued walking while rooting through it for her phone. Glancing at the caller ID, she smirked to herself.

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty"

"This is Noel, Mia"

Her chest tightened up, and she stopped short. "Did something happen? Is Harper ok?"

"He's fine, just frustrated. We've been trying to call you for two days. Where the hell are you?"

_Harper's ok. _He'd been like a father to her, if anything would have happened… Mia took a deep breath forcing herself relax, so she could continue her conversation with Noel. "I'm working. When I'm in stealth mode, I shut the phone off."

"Stealth Mode." Noel laughed. "Hunting anything good?"

"You know I can't talk about work. And I'm sure you didn't call just to hear about my day."

"The King wants to come by as soon as you can. He has a job for you."

"Never get a call for my birthday, but as soon as you need something…"

"Happy Birthday, Mia"

"My birthday was three months ago, Noel"

"Then think of it as a nine month early sentiment for next year"

"Thank you, Noel"

"You're welcome. So, how soon can you get here?"

"Give me a couple days. I have some loose ends."

"Cool. We'll see you soon."

Mia snapped her phone shut and shoved it back in her bag. _A job. What was Harper up to that he needed a bounty hunter?_


	2. Chapter 2 Home Sweet Lair

Chapter 2 – Home Sweet Lair

Mia sat in her small rocky den overlooking the ocean. It wasn't much, but it was the only place she could go that was hers and hers alone. She sat with her ankles crossed, elbows on her knees watching the waves crash against the shore. She lowered her head into her hand letting out a soft sigh. Sometimes being a bounty hunter was more than her conscious could bear. She wished Harper hadn't told her the details, not knowing made things so much simpler. She did not pity Jacob Black, he should have known better than to fraternize with vampires. But was she not guilty of the same crime when she was younger? She shook away the memory of Alavaro. That was a long time ago, when life was a wonderful shade of gray. When she believed in love, fate and destiny. But that was all make-believe. No one gets the fairy tale ending.

The sun was still high in the sky. Mia checked the time, he should be home now. She'd been tracking Jacob Black for the past two weeks. He was as predictable as they come. She got to her feet, tilting her head side to side, letting her neck crack. She flattened the strap on her bag against her shoulder then brushed the dirt from the back of her shorts. Focusing her energy inward she teleported out of her den. Mia landed in the woods just behind the small aluminum excuse for a garage that Jacob Black seemed to spend a good amount of time inside.

She waited patiently. Within the hour she heard the familiar banging of tools. His scent saturated the air. Focusing once again, she listened intently to the sounds inside. He was alone. Good. Mia brushed her hair back over her shoulders as she walked toward the front of the shed. The rusted metal door hung ajar allowing her to see inside. A quick scan revealed an old car with its hood up and a few quarts of oil on the roof. Assorted tools and auto parts were strewn about with no real order. A pair of tan legs stretched out from underneath the vehicle. "God damn piece of SHIT!" he exclaimed loudly over the rhythmic banging.

Mia reached into her bag and removed the APEX handgun. It was loaded with enough tranquilizer to knock out a herd of elephants. Even so, she knew with his regenerative powers it would only buy her 15 to 30 minutes to transport him. And that was only if her aim was perfect. She stepped over the threshold aiming the weapon.

"Hey, Mia. Make yourself useful and hand me a hammer"

Mia's focus faltered. _Did he just say my name? Has my cover been blown? _

"LEAH, stop being a bitch and help a brother out" A tan hand appeared from under the under the car.

_Leah. He said Leah. _Mia felt an instant of relief. _He knows there's someone here, but doesn't know who._

Another hand appeared as he grasped the underside of the car, pulling himself into view. Mia's finger pulsed on the trigger, and the instant his chest came out from under the car, she fired. The shot was silent as it made contact with his chest right over his heart. His body convulsed once then went limp. Mia stepped forward cautiously keeping the APEX aimed at him should she need a second shot. He remained unresponsive as she kicked his left leg. She removed her blade sending it through the air. Three inches of the knife penetrated the muscle in his leg as it sank into his thigh. Blood slowly oozed out of the wound, only to stop a moment later. Mia latched the safety and returned the APEX to her bag. Moving closer she removed BYR, her knife from his leg. With her other hand on his midsection she focused her energy once again. Seconds later Mia disappeared, taking Jacob Black with her.

Jacob Black awoke on a cold stone floor surrounded by thick steel bars. He made an attempt to sit up, but the room was spinning. His body decided to remain in place and he closed his eyes. Where the hell was he? What the hell happened? The last thing he remembered was being in his garage getting ready to change the oil in his car when the filter had gotten stuck. He'd been underneath trying to tap it out when Leah showed up unexpectedly. He knew it was her, as a female werewolf she had a different scent to her. When he asked her for a hammer she just stood there. She was so stubborn sometimes. He'd turned his head and gotten a glimpse of her tan legs and hiking boots. Then he started coming out from under the car… He placed his hand over his chest, thinking of the impact. Had he been shot? He rolled onto his side and tried to look at his chest. No mark. The current position made his stomach queasy and so he flopped onto his back, closing his eyes again. Maybe he should just sleep it off, it didn't seem as though he was in any immediate danger.

Tanner and Ackerly watched the monitor with great amusement. They thought their captive was about to get up and rage, but instead he went to sleep.

"How long has he been like that?" Crystal asked

"Almost a day" Ackerly replied.

"Guy has a bladder of steel" Tanner commented. "He should have pissed himself by now"

"I thought the stuff was only supposed to last an hour" Crystal stated briefly.

"Maybe she gave him an extra dose." Tanner smiled.

"What is Harper going to do with him?" Skylar asked, looking into the monitor.

"I'm not sure, but at least one of the hunting teams is out on a live capture" Ackerly said. "Maybe he's going to feed him to some vampires since he loves them so much"

"What if _he_ kills them instead?" Skylar replied.

"I'm sure the King has taken that possibility into consideration, Sky. Why do you care anyway?"

"He doesn't look like a traitor to me"

"What is a traitor supposed to look like?" Crystal asked.

Skylar shot her a dirty look. "Are we sure Mia got the right person?"

"I can't believe you're dissing Mia. I want to hear you say that to her face" Tanner laughed.

"Yeah really, Skylar. Mia doesn't make mistakes. Period." Crystal said defensively.

"She's one bad ass bounty hunter. Hol - lar!" Ackerly waved his hands in the air. Skylar grew more annoyed by the minute as he Tanner shared a testosterone tribute to Mia the goddess they both worshipped from afar.

"She's not as great as everyone thinks she is." Skylar replied.

"I think someone's a little jealous." Crystal said yanking a lock of Skylar's hair. "Maybe if you'd step up for once, the King would give you a promotion."

Skylar rolled her eyes. A promotion. Never. Harper gave the illusion of fairness, but the reality was nepotism. Only Harper's descendents would ever have a high rank in the pack. The only exception was Lashly, and he had to fight twice as hard as the king's sons to get there.

"Ohhh look, I think he's vomiting" Crystal announced happily. The four of them crowded around the monitor, watching as the contents of Jacob Black's stomach soiled the pale gray floor.

"NICE" Ackerly commented. "I'd give that an eight"

"An eight?" Tanner shook his head "More like a four, there was no distance"

"I can't believe you're scoring him on vomiting" Skylar replied in disgust. "You are much too competitive" That was the name of the game in the Lycan Nation. Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger. She continued watching the monitor as the poor man clutched his stomach while trying to stand.

"Hey" He called out "Where am I? Is anyone here?" His voice was slow, uncertain. The effects of the tranquilizer hadn't completely worn off yet. He took a few steps then suddenly hunched over, vomiting once again. The chunky brown liquid hit the floor hard and splattered, dotting his shoes and legs. He hacked, then spit onto the floor, wiping his mouth with his forearm.

"Oh yeah, he's a keeper" Crystal laughed.

"Skylar, go tell Noel he's awake." Tanner pushed her toward the door. She shoved him back, but he barely noticed. The three of them were glued to the monitor.


	3. Chapter 3 Fight Club

Chapter Three – Fight Club

The warehouse looked as though it had been vacant for quite some time. A For Sale sign had fallen over and weeds had grown tall around it. The graffiti and boarded windows told the rest of the story. Lashly and his crew spread out and surrounded the building. There were three vampires inside, probably feeding. The human scent around the doorway was very fresh.

The werewolves ran silently across the property into position. Their paws moved quickly and effortlessly along the asphalt parking lot. Lashly took point and leapt inside through one of the many broken windows. His paws touched down on the cement floor without a sound. One of the vampires looked his way and snarled. Her lips retracted, revealing her long canines. Instantly the other two were at her side, blood still wet on their faces.

The silver-gray fur bristled on his back as Lashly let out a snarl of his own. With lightening speed the vampires came at him all at once, flying through the air. The wolf easily avoided two of them, clashing with third. There was minimal resistance as his sharp claws tore through the cold skin leaving jagged marks along the pale flesh. The pack was there an instant later. He heard the familiar hiss and turned his head sharply. One of his boys had gotten a little over zealous, decapitating the male with one swift bite through the neck. The vampire had just fed, and so blood spurted from the body all over the floor before the corpse turned to dust. Lashly growled at his brother wolf. _He wants them ALIVE_.

Two more of the wolves pinned down a female vampire calling out for a containment unit. That was what they called the specially constructed coffins used for transport. The female struggled to get away, biting hard into her captures tearing chunks of fur from their bodies wherever her mouth would reach. One of them growled angrily as she tore his gray fur away from the pink flesh beneath, spraying blood onto the cement floor. Lashly watched in disbelief as the wolf lost his temper, tearing the vampires arm from her torso. _ALIVE_. He growled again, going after the last vampire_._ He cursed to himself as he assisted Fisher in taking down the second female. She was a worthy opponent, fighting them with everything in her. She was fast, tearing at their faces with her iron fingernails, leaving deep lacerations that bled. Lashly's eyes burned from the blood running into them, he had to blink frequently to keep his vision clear. A sharp cracking sound took his attention away from his own misery. The vampire was breaking each rib in Fisher's body, while holding his muzzle in a death grip meant to smother him. Fisher's sides heaved as he gasped for air. Lashly felt his brother's pain as he watched a broken rib pierce through his hide. Fisher's rage peaked and he bit hard into the vampire's leg, tearing out a huge chunk of dead flesh. She screamed and grabbed his ears, shredding them into ribbons. Lashly threw his own weight against her, knocking her to the floor.

The rest of the pack came to assist them, pinning the screaming brunette against the cement floor. She thrashed against them, clawing at their faces, tearing at their ears. Lycan blood poured from their wounds, spraying everywhere. She screamed and fought harder. She was not going to be taken easily.

Skylar made no effort to hide her contempt as she carried the broom and bucket down the metal stairs. How did she get stuck with the shitty job of cleaning up the bastard's puke? The fucker should clean up after himself. Maybe she would make him do it. Better not, she thought glancing at the cleaning supplies. Handing over anything that could be used as a weapon against her wasn't a chance she wanted to take right now. She placed her hand tenderly over her abdomen. Three days late. She hoped and prayed that she carried a new life.

The large door opened and she stepped into the room, coughing as the smell of vomit reached her sensitive nose. _God, this is foul._ The man inside ran to the door of his cell. "Who are you? Why am I here? Where am I? How did I get here?"

Skylar studied the man's features. He was much different up close than on the monitor. He was incredibly tall and muscular. With long black hair, deep brown eyes and an almost endearing innocence to him. _What a waste_. She thought to herself.

"Do you speak English?" He said slowly. Skylar rolled her eyes at him. "Is that yes?" he sounded hopeful.

"Please move back against the wall"

He complied easily enough which surprised her. She looked up to the tinted windows of the control room then placed her hand over the touch pad. The lock released and the door opened just enough for her to squeeze in sideways before closing again. She stood over the first puddle of vomit, dumping sawdust from the bucket over it.

"I'm sorry about that" He said apologetically. "Can I help?" He asked taking a step forward. Skylar turned to him aggressively, letting out a deep growl. She watched as he backed away, more in shock than fear.

"Did you _growl _at me?" He whispered. _She did. I know she did. She's one of us. I can smell her. Where the hell am I?_ The thoughts raced through his head quickly. He watched her as she covered each pool of vomit with sawdust. She didn't look like a shape shifter. She looked _normal_. Average height and weight with shoulder length brown hair, dressed in a simple yellow sundress.

"Are you a werewolf?" he said keeping his voice low.

"What?" she replied, confusion evident in her expression. He repeated his question, watching as she put her hand against her forehead, muttering under her breath. _Am I a werewolf? Christ, this poor soul doesn't even know his own kind anymore. _She picked up the broom and began sweeping the sawdust into the dustpan. She could feel him staring at her, and so she turned her head in his direction. He was leaning back against the wall, tapping his fist against the stone. He was getting angry, a very good sign.

"Why won't you answer me?" His voice was a mixture of frustration and uncertainty. "Where am I? Why am I here?" Skylar smiled at him, and returned her attention to cleaning. "Who are YOU?" He yelled. "What gives you the right to keep me locked up like this?" He stepped away from the wall toward her. Skylar dropped the broom and lowered her eyes at him, letting another growl escape her throat.

"I don't want a fight just answers" Jacob Black said meeting her gaze.

"More cleaning, less talking" Crystal's voice came over the intercom. Skylar watched as Jacob's attention went to the tinted windows of the control room and then focused back on her.

"How many of you are there?" he asked.

"Against the wall, NOW" Skylar ordered, moving her hand to the break away strap on her sundress. She didn't want this to get physical, but there was no way she was going to be bullied by a captive. The door opened again, and Tanner came inside the room.

"Is there a problem?" He asked standing against the metal bars of the cell door.

"I'm handling it" Skylar replied, her gaze still locked on Jacob.

"Who are you?" Jacob growled charging toward the door. Tanner's snarl was deafening as it echoed in the stone room. Jacob let out a snarl just as menacing. Skylar heard Tanner's panting, the familiar click of the lock and the break away strap pop on Tanner's cargo pants. _What the hell is Tanner doing?_

Their transformations were simultaneous as Tanner charged inside meeting the reddish brown wolf with a loud thud. Their bodies intertwined revealing only fur, teeth and claws. They were both strong fighters, tearing at each other in between snarls. Tuffs of fur flew through the air littering the stone floor. They broke contact briefly, only to charge each other once more. Skylar stepped back as blood spurted from one or both of them, there was no way to tell. _Shit, more to clean up_.


	4. Chapter 4 Wardrobe Malfunction

Chapter Four – Wardrobe Malfunction

Mia leaned against the thick tree trunk, watching as the hunting team unloaded the van. She could hear the vampire thrashing and screaming inside the steel cocoon. The team was working hard to keep the container stable as they moved it down into the tunnels. All the men had amazing bodies, dark tanned skin over well defined muscle. But Mia only noticed one of them. She slowly moistened her lips with her tongue as she watched him. She bit her lower lip attempting to fight the lust that grew inside her.

Lashly slammed the doors shut on the back of the van. He was snapping the last lock in place, when he felt the knife press against his throat. Only one person was so bold. He grabbed her wrist spinning her around to face him. Her body made contact with the back of the van, resulting in a dull thud. Before she could react his mouth pressed against hers in a powerful kiss. His thick, muscular arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her into him.

Every cell in Mia's body came alive at his touch. He tugged hard on a fistful of her hair forcing her chin upward, breaking their kiss. Lashly's teeth broke her skin at the base of her neck as he bit into her. _Lash._ She cried out unable to contain herself any longer. _Where's the closest bed?_

_Bed? _He growled softly. _You're a spoiled bitch, Mia._

_Where?_ She moaned as his hands clenched her backside, grinding her hips into his own.

_Barracks, _he muttered exhaling into her ear. Focus was difficult, but she managed to teleport them inside the correct building, unlike last time. Lash broke away from her glancing around the new surroundings. He grabbed a mattress from the top bunk and threw it on the floor. He grabbed her next, pushing her down on top of it. Kneeling down over her, his fingers fumbled with the button fly on her jeans. _Why can't you wear dresses? _he grumbled, tearing the buttons off the jeans. Mia smiled as she watched him pull the tight denim over her hips. _Panties too? _He growled in frustration at the sight of the black lace thong. Lash was unlike any other lover she'd had. He thought clothes were annoying and lingerie was unnecessary.

Leaning over, he kissed her stomach moving down slowly. Just above the bikini line, he paused to rip the elastic of her thong with his teeth, flinging it across the room with a low growl. Mia heard the break away straps pop on his cargo pants. Her body trembled with excitement and she sat up reaching for him. _Turn over_ He commanded ignoring her desire to pleasure him.

With her jeans wrapped around her ankles, she got all fours facing away from him. His fingers penetrated her once, testing her arousal. Mia's eyes instinctively closed as she moaned at the sensation of his touch. Lashly's hands gripped her hips firmly as he entered her body. His nails dug into her, breaking her skin but she barely felt it. _MIA_ He panted, thrusting hard into her. _Lash_ she replied breathlessly, as her hips collided against him.

Lashly's canines pierced the skin of her back through her thin tee shirt. _Not yet_ Mia pleaded, but she could already feel the semen leaking down her thighs. Turning sideways, she let herself drop to the mattress. Lashly plopped down next to her and kissed her forehead. It was only then Mia realized that they weren't alone. Several adolescent boys stood nearby with giant grins on their faces. Lashly saw her embarrassment, "What?" he asked innocently, running his hand through her hair. "You said 'bed' not 'privacy'. Next time be more specific."

"What is he doing?" Crystal asked as she approached the monitor. Jacob Black sat naked on the stone floor with his knees to chest facing the furthest wall of his cell. He rocked front to back a few times, then stopped, only to start rocking again.

"Who cares?" Tanner replied examining his wounds. He hadn't expected the captive to be that strong. His physical injuries were minor in fact most had already healed. His pride, however had taken a major blow. He hoped Harper kept Jacob alive long enough for a rematch.

Jacob squeezed his eyes closed again, trying to maintain his composure. He was furious at everything and everyone right now. It was very difficult not to phase. He was very angry with himself for feeling this way. He hadn't been this volatile since… well, never. Even the first few weeks of becoming a shape-shifter, he had much more control than this. Now he was barely able to keep his human form. Something about being here was bringing out the worst in him.

His clothes were shredded, and they wouldn't give him anything else to wear. He knew there were at least two females here, and probably more. Not that he was ashamed of his body, but was it that big of a deal to give him a pair of shorts? They could at least give him a towel to wrap around his waist. When he had to urinate, he pleaded for a bathroom, a bucket, a cup, anything, but they ignored him. He finally had no choice but to relieve himself on the floor. ARGH! He punched the wall next to him trying to release some of the built up tension. The impact broke the skin on his knuckles. There was a moment of blood, but then it stopped. Jacob looked at his arms. The red lacerations were almost healed. It felt strange fighting another wolf without having the telepathic connection he shared with his own pack. It had been a serious disadvantage on his part, being unable to anticipate his opponent's next move. Not to mention Tanner had a very different fighting style. He didn't necessarily want a rematch, but welcomed the challenge.

_******_

"You're sure we're alone?" Mia asked Lashly for the third time. He ignored her and removed her jeans the rest of the way. The laces of her shoes snapped as he tore them from her feet. "Seriously, why all the clothes?" he asked taking a moment to look into her eyes. Mia's felt herself getting aroused again, just from his brief glance. How was it possible to be this attracted to someone? _Lie Down._ He told her, and she rolled onto her back spreading her legs wide for him. He lowered himself on top of her, then pushed himself back up. _Take your shirt off._ He growled.

_I want_**you** _to do it._ Mia purred back at him. With one quick motion, he grasped her shirt at the collar tearing it down the center to the bottom seam. Mia's adrenalin soared and she could feel her own desire escalating. "A BRA!" Lashly snarled angrily. Taking the knife from her, he cut through the tiny piece of fabric that held the black lacey cups together. The knife fell to the floor, as his mouth descended onto her exposed breast. Mia cradled his head, as he delicately nibbled her rock hard nipples. Foreplay was unusual for Lashly and she wanted to savor every second.

His mouth made its way down her body, where he stopped just above her folds. His fingers dipped inside her once again, he smiled at the soft squishing sound. With his other hand he held the base of his erection, thrusting his entire length inside her all at once. Mia cried out in a mix of pain and pleasure. She wasn't prepared to take his fingers and manhood at the same time.

His large hands grasped her ankles firmly, pinning them on either side of her head. Mia's body shook with pleasure as he pounded against her, penetrating so deeply she felt it in her stomach. Lashly managed a handful of thrusts before he pulled out spraying her midsection and breasts with his milky seed.

******

"The King will be here in fifteen minutes" Prince Noel screamed at his subordinates. "I want the cell sparkling clean and for God's sake get him some clothes. NOW!"

Crystal and Tanner nearly tripped over each other in their hurry to obey the Prince. Tanner ran to the offices looking for the laundry delivery. Crystal raided the supply closet for a mop and an oversized can of Lysol.

Jacob heard the door open, but didn't bother turning around until he heard them yelling at each other.

"Here, put this on" Tanner shoved a pair of pants and shirt through the bars. Then grabbed the can of Lysol and began frantically spraying it into the air. Jacob picked up the clothes cautiously, continuing to watch the pair. Crystal was dumping bleach on the floor where he urinated.

"What are you DOING?" Tanner screamed at her.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm cleaning freaking pee off the floor!"

"You can't pour straight bleach on urine!"

"Why not?"

"It creates a toxic gas" Tanner yelled taking the container of bleach away from her.

"Fine" Crystal shot back throwing the mop at him "YOU clean it up"

"CRYSTAL!" Tanner called after her as she stormed out of the room. "CRYSTAL" He threw down the mop and went after her.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Thank you so much for reading this far. There is much, much more to this story. In the next few chapters we see how the Cullens and the Pack react to Jacob's disappearance. Plus a more detailed look into the world of the Lycan Nation. Not to mention Mia runs into a HUGE problem on her hunt.**

**I sincerely appreciate any feedback you give. If you'd like to read more, please let me know. If you think I should burn the manuscript - TELL ME!**

**_Blessed Be _**

**_GEM1588_**


	5. Chapter 5 Pay Attention

**Author's note: To those of you who've read this far - I hope you're enjoying it!**

**I enabled the 'anonymous' reviewer function. I might regret doing that, but I would very much like to get feedback of all kinds. If you think I should shove a copy of New Moon where the sun don't shine, go ahead and tell me. I can handle it - Trust me. **

**An enormous Thank You to August First and khetyan for their reviews. **

**_Blessed Be_**

**GEM1588**

* * *

Chapter Five – Pay Attention

Jacob snorted again in frustration. He was grateful for the clothes. The shirt was a vest with what appeared to be Velcro-like seams. It was easy to put on and quite practical for phasing. The stupid pants were another story. There were straps that looked like they fastened on the outside, but he couldn't quite get them tied correctly and they kept falling down. He tried several times with no success.

"He's on his way" A voice called out, as the main door opened. Jacob paused momentarily to look at the well built ebony skinned man walking into the room. The man came within arm's reach of the cell and stopped to stare at Jacob fumbling with the straps. "Tanner!" The man called loudly.

"Yes, Prince Noel" Tanner replied as he ran into the room. "Help him with the pants" He ordered, shaking his head as he walked away.

"What the fuck, man?" Tanner hissed to Jacob. "They're pants! Just tie them already!"

Jacob felt the rage building inside him. His body began shaking as he tried to control it.

"Hurry the fuck up douche bag!" Tanner ordered. That put Jacob over the edge and he phased. _What is this guy's problem?_ Tanner thought to himself. "The King is almost here. Get yourself together" Tanner's foot tapped nervously on the floor.

_King? King of what? France, Spain? Where the hell was he? _Jacob could barely focus as he paced the cage in an attempt to calm down. It was hard, everything was making him angry.

"Crystal!" Tanner yelled loudly.

"What now?" Her voice came over the intercom.

"I think he needs Blue"

"Be right down"

Blue was a serum created by vampires to keep Lycans in their human form. The effects were only temporary, sometimes lasting as little as three minutes. However, that was enough time for a vampire to kill. And they had. The war lasted many years. Thousands of Lycans died before an antidote had been found. Now Blue was used more as a training tool, to help the younger wolves learn to control themselves.

Seconds later Crystal came running into the room with a syringe.

"Over here, man" Tanner stuck his arm through the bars and motioned in Crystal's direction. She held the needle toward the ceiling and flicked the side of the tube with her fingers. "Hurry"

Jacob growled angrily. There was no way they were injecting him with ANYTHING.

"It's Blue." Crystal said, trying to calm him down. "Look", she held the syringe out to him, showing him the blue liquid inside. Jacob took a step back and pawed the floor angrily.

Crystal and Tanner looked at each other in confusion.

"He doesn't want it?"

"I don't think he trusts us"

"Look" Crystal held up the syringe, then proceeded to stick it in Tanner's arm, pushing the plunger halfway down.

"Hey!" He turned to her in annoyance.

"See it's OK!" Crystal said motioning to Jacob to come closer. But time was up. The four princes entered the room, followed by Queen Scarlet and King Harper. Crystal shoved the syringe down the front of her sundress, then she and Tanner both turned to face the Royal Family.

Prince Noel stepped toward them. "Back to your stations" He growled. The pair took off running, pausing only to bow their heads as they passed the King and Queen. The Prince took another few steps until he was standing next to the cell door.

"Jacob Black, I am Prince Noel and I command you to return to your human form"

The fur rose on Jacob's back. The adrenalin and fury pumped within him. He didn't care if Noel was the President of the United States. HE was Jacob Black, Alpha wolf. HE was not taking orders from anyone.

"We don't have time for this" Harper said to his son. "Open the door"

"Father"

"OPEN IT" Harper demanded.

Prince Noel placed his palm against the touch pad. Jacob tensed his hind legs in anticipation of the door opening. The lock clicked and the door began to slide sideways. Jacob sprang forward out of the cell, tackling Noel. He realized his mistake almost immediately. Noel had molted, and slashed him open from hem to hollow. Jacob had never suffered a wound like this before. He laid on his side on the floor, watching the puddle of his own blood grow in size. He tried to curl up, but the pain was absolutely excruciating.

"Should I finish him, Father?" Noel asked as he transformed back to his human form.

The bleeding hadn't slowed yet, which made Jacob very nervous. He felt lightheaded and so he closed his eyes. Was this how his life was going to end? He thought about his home, his pack, his family and Nessie. He'd never see her again. He pictured her face in his mind, and then everything went dark.

The lukewarm water sprayed from the showerhead as Mia attempted to clean herself up in the large bathhouse. Lashly stood in the doorway watching her intently. She took advantage of his voyeurism, slowly caressing her body as the water poured over her. Cupping her hands around her breasts, she teased him, moaning his name just loud enough for him to hear. From the corner of her eye she saw that her actions had the desired effect. Mia arched her back pushing her chest out while tilting her head upward. The water ran over her curves, as she reached between her legs.

Lashly wasn't patient by nature and watching Mia was sheer torture. He reached inside his pants, stroking himself. He knew she was getting ready to leave for another job, but one more time wouldn't hurt. He might not see her again for months. Desire overtaking him, he dropped his pants and sloshed across the wet floor toward her. Lashly held her in his arms, pressing his lips against hers. He lifted her at the waist, as she wrapped her arms and legs around him. His knees weakened momentarily as she descended slowly onto his erection. _Mia_, he gasped clutching her close to him. He could never get enough of her.

Lashly leaned forward pressing Mia's back against the tile wall, gently thrusting into her. If this was the last time, he wanted to last a little longer. The water splashed off his head into her face. She laughed, burying her head into his shoulder, kissing the side of his neck. Using his body for leverage, she rolled her hips each time he entered her. She didn't allow him to get as deep, in hopes of making this moment last. Maybe even long enough for her to climax.

_Kiss me._Lashlywhispered in her ear. Mia picked her head up and stared into his eyes. His expression wasn't quite as lustful as it had been earlier. That made her nervous. Sex was simple, fun. Feelings complicated things. He didn't give her a chance to pull away. Pressing his lips against hers, he opened his mouth slightly knowing she couldn't resist. Mia felt his warm breath in her mouth and couldn't hold herself back. She kissed him again and again, exploring his mouth with her tongue. Lashly's heart pounded as her tongue circled his own. He knew she understood how hard it was for him to hold back. He dug his fingers into her bottom, trying to stop her hips so he could go deeper inside her. He wanted her to feel every inch of him, to scream out his name.

Mia began to feel the familiar tingle between her legs as his hands restricted the motion of her hips. She squeezed him with her legs, and he gasped slightly at the added pressure. Mia panted hard as the sensation built inside her. She was almost there and they both knew it.

"Lashly! Hey!" The man's voice called out from the doorway. Mia was vaguely aware that someone had entered the bath house, but she was so close to an orgasm that she didn't care.

"Lashly" he said again, urgently.

"What!" Lashly growled loudly without interrupting his rhythm.

"Just thought you'd want to know it doesn't look like Fisher is going to make it."

Lashly stopped immediately. His hands went limp nearly dropping Mia to the floor.

"I didn't think it was that serious" He said rushing over to grab his pants. Their conversation continued as they exited the bath house, not doubt going to see Fisher.

Mia slid down the wall, letting the now cold water pour over her head. _A cold shower._ _How fitting_. She thought herself, as she tried to calm down from the almost climatic ending.

* * *

Jacob slowly opened his eyes. The pain was more manageable now. He relaxed letting his eyelids droop while he exhaled.

"I'm dead, aren't I?" He said out loud.

"Noot dead, jest dumb" The female voice replied in a thick Jamaican accent. "I con't tink of anyting moore stupit dan attacking da Prince. Axcept attacking da King hisself." Jacob's eyes shot open and he turned his head toward the voice. An ebony skinned woman knelt next to him. Her wide smile exposed her bright white teeth. She had short curly hair with barrettes of every color stuck in it. A thick gold choker hung from her neck just above the largest breasts he'd ever seen. Jacob looked away quickly. He knew he shouldn't stare, but he couldn't help peeking out of the corner of his eye. Pamela Anderson had nothing on this woman.

"He's awake?" Prince Noel asked as he stood over them.

"Yes"

"Can he be moved?"

"He's mended enoof" She replied. "He cood use sa goot meal, though. His stoomach's been taalkin' to me for da past hour"

"Get him back in the cell"

Jacob looked up and saw the familiar faces of Crystal and Tanner. They pulled him to his feet and helped him back inside the cell. Jacob sighed when he realized that he was naked once again. They lowered him to the floor and made a hasty exit. Jacob curled up on the stone floor, glancing down at the butterfly strips. They ran the length of his torso holding the deep wound together so it would heal. _Holy Crap, that Noel guy was strong._

He rested his head in his arms, attempting to sleep while his body regenerated.

* * *

"There's nothing more we can do for him", Moira said as she gave Fisher another dose of painkiller.

"I'm so sorry, brother" Lashly said softly holding Fisher's wrist tightly. "I should have done more to help you with that filthy parasite. I swear to you, she will die a very painful death."

The monitor next to the bed beeped softly. Lashly lowered his head, weighed down by his guilt. Each member of the hunting team was well aware of the dangerous circumstances they would encounter in the field. Each time they went out there was a good chance they may not return. Fisher knew the risk involved, but even so his death was unnecessary. The crew should havebeen better prepared for live captures.

Lashly chewed the inside of his lip to keep himself from crying. To keep his human emotions buried deep inside. It wasn't enough. So he did what Lycans do best. He channeled his sadness into anger. The adrenalin pulsed through him as he imagined the punishment he would inflict on the vampire who did this.

He felt her hand on his shoulder and turned around. "I came as soon as I heard", Skylar said softly. "I'm so sorry".

"It happens" he replied, keeping his voice even. A leader had to be strong on the outside, regardless of how they felt on the inside. "How are you?" He turned toward her placing his hand over her stomach.

"Four days late now", she answered placing her free hand over his. "But I don't feel anything yet. Maybe it's just too early"

"How soon will you know for sure?"

"A few more days at least. Maybe longer, depending on the conception date."

Lashly sighed. "I wish we knew right now. I could use some good news."

* * *

Mia ran the coarse brush through her damp hair. She'd taken her time getting dressed, on the slim chance Lashly might come back. She checked the time once more. It was getting late and she still needed to stop at home to pack.

She scrolled down to the message on her phone again. There was new job, a demonic nuisance. She was headed to a small town in Brazil and Mia didn't speak Portuguese. She was fluent in Spanish, however and hoped that would be enough. She waited a few more minutes before existing the building. It didn't feel right leaving like this, deserting Lashly when a member of his crew was dying. She'd make a point to come back as soon as she could.

She tossed her ripped clothes away and left the hunting team's residential area. There was no one around. She stopped behind one of the out buildings, took a moment to focus, before teleporting home.

The familiar walls of her bedroom surrounded her once again. There really was no place like home. She tossed her bag onto her messy bed. The covers were bunched up, even though it had been months since she'd slept here. Her bookcases overflowed with books, music and movies. One of her posters had fallen down covering her vanity. She opened the door and headed through the hallway and down the stairs. Mia's hand covered her mouth in shock when she reached the first floor. The house was empty. Everything was gone, the furniture, the TV, the curtains everything. She raced to the kitchen, the appliances were still there, but the cabinets were bare. She saw an envelope on the table with her name on it. Inside was a letter.

Samia,

I never thought I would be the one walking away from us, but can't spend another night alone in this house. The paperwork is completed. All it needs is your signature. You can keep the house, the Land Rover and whatever else you want. I don't care. I just want to be done with this and move on with my life. So please, take care of this as soon as you can.

Jason

Mia's tears rolled down her cheeks. Things with Jason had never been easy. In hindsight, they should have never gotten married. Damn her sister-in-law for entering them in that Dream Wedding contest. Who would have ever thought they'd win?

She'd never been able to be completely honest with him. She never told him the truth about what she was and what her job entailed. Maybe this was a blessing in disguise. She picked up the business card that sat on the counter. Brent M. Kauffman, Esquire. Divorce Attorney.

* * *

Jacob awoke and rolled over on the cold stone floor. He ran his hand down his center, tracing the large red gashes. Staring at the gray ceiling, he took a deep breath. He was confused and angry. All he wanted was a few questions answered. Was that so much to ask? He heard the lock click and looked over his shoulder to see who was coming.

Skylar was trying hard to keep herself together. It was hard losing members of the hunting crew. As awful as she felt about Fisher, she was so thankful it wasn't Lashly lying in that bed. She carried a large bowl and a gallon of water in one arm, in the other was a change of clothes. Harper insisted Jacob Black be fed and presentable for their next meeting.

Skylar knelt down next to him looking at his wounds. He was lucky Noel didn't kill him. "Hungry" she asked placing the bowl down nearby.

"Yes" he answered, staring longingly at the bowl. He closed his eyes and inhaled. "Venison"

Skylar smiled. He didn't know enough not to attack a Prince, but he certainly knew meat. She reached over taking a strip from the bowl and handing it to him. His gratitude was immeasurable. "On your back, I need to check your bandages" He rolled over, his spine flush with the floor, chewing on the meat noisily. Skylar's eyes widened as his legs spread. "You just wake up, or does food get you horny?"

"Oh God!" He gasped attempting to cover himself.

"Relax. It's not like I've never seen a dick before" Skylar tossed him the clean pants. Laughing to herself as he blushed. She'd never met a man who was shy about his genitals. And certainly Jacob Black had nothing to be embarrassed about.

"Can you help me?" He whispered to her.

"You don't know how to put pants on?"

"I can't figure out these straps"

"They're break-away"

He stood there looking even more confused. Skylar let out a loud sigh. "Keep your hands on your head. DON'T try anything" He nodded and put his hands on his head. As soon as he did, the pants fell down to his ankles. He reached down to pull them up, but Skylar growled. "I'll do it. Just keep your hands on your head" Had his skin been lighter, it would have been bright red. He clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth. Skylar walked behind him, taking the waistband in one hand, keeping her other hand free. Just in case.

As soon as she walked behind him, Jacob felt a little better. Exposing himself to a girl he barely knew was humiliating. He felt the material rub against his legs as she dressed him. Then Skylar moved in front of him, so they were standing face to face. Jacob flinched as she reached inside the front of the pants for the strap. "Relax. I'm not going to hurt you" He took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling. Her hand dug further inside. "_Oh hell_ _where's the other strap?"_ She muttered under her breath.

Jacob held his breath as her forearm brushed against his groin. He knew it was accidental, but his body responded to the sensation._ Oh God. I should NOT be feeling this way._ He bit his lip hard as she brushed against him a second time_. God that felt good._

* * *

**Keep reading - Chapter Six takes place in Forks.....**


	6. Chapter 6 72 Hours in Forks

**Author's Note:**

**Disclaimer: All Twilight Characters belong to Stephenie Meyers. **

* * *

Chapter Six – 72 Hours

"I want to go to the beach with JACOB!" Nessie screamed at her father. She was six going on sixteen, literally. Her development as a human-vampire hybrid was still a mystery. Physically she was about six years old, but her mental capacity was well beyond that. She already mastered college level calculus and spoke five languages. One of which was Jacob's tribal language. He'd taught it to her so they could have private conversations. Neither of her parents understood a word they said. It made her father furious.

"Nessie, love, we already discussed this." Edward replied. "You cannot be alone with Jacob"

"We wouldn't be alone. There are plenty of people at the beach."

Edward's fingers clawed down his face in frustration. "Bella, can you talk to her please" He said through clenched teeth to his wife and the mother of his only child.

Nessie put her hands on her hips "If this is about SEX, I already know all about it."

"WHAT!" Bella and Edward screamed in unison.

"HE DIDN'T" Edward cried out staring at his little girl. "TELL ME THE TRUTH"

Bella's pale face grew even paler. _I will kill Jacob myself if he laid one finger on her._ She thought to herself.

"Don't worry, I'm still a virgin. He said we have to wait until I'm older"

Even though vampires didn't need to breathe, Nessie watched her parents exhale hard. The situation with Jacob had been very difficult for them. Before she'd even been born he'd imprinted on her, making her his soul mate, his true love. They were destined to be together, but – there were a few snags in the master plan.

First, she was half vampire and he was a werewolf. They should have been natural enemies, but fate brought them together. She loved him more than life itself. She wished she was big enough to express her feeling for him physically. That was the second problem. She'd been born less than a year ago. As a hybrid her growth was accelerated, but not fast enough. She wanted to be grown now, damn it. She wanted to kiss Jacob. Not just the quick little pecks that they exchanged now. She wanted to _really_ kiss him, open mouth with lots of tongue. Just like in the movies.

The third problem was her parents. Her ultra-conservative "G"-rated parents, her father in particular. He was disturbed by the whole situation. Whenever Jacob was around Edward hovered nearby, there was never a moment of privacy. He wouldn't allow any physical contact between them either. Not even hand holding. He treated her like she was a baby, which technically she was if you looked at her birth certificate.

Her mother was only marginally better. She let them sit next to each other and hold hands. She would leave them alone in a room for a few seconds on occasion. Aside from that, she was just as bad as Edward. She was just jealous though. It was no secret when her mom was human she used to have a "thing" for Jacob.

This entire ordeal with going to the beach was ridiculous. It started when her Aunt Alice bought her a bathing suit. It was a pink bikini with black polka dots. Alice always chose the best clothes. Nessie loved it. She couldn't wait to wear it in front of Jacob. Of course, as soon as her father saw it he had a fit. He screamed at Alice and shredded the bathing suit right in front of her. Alice had screamed right back at him. Then the whole Cullen family got involved. What a nightmare.

Her mother had gone to the mall and bought her a "more appropriate" replacement. A purple one piece Dora the Explorer bathing suit with a little ruffle skirt. Nessie torn up that one herself. _Dora the Explorer? What was she thinking?_

Jacob had been over the day before yesterday. He said he didn't care what kind of bathing suit she wore. She was the most beautiful girl in the world. He cupped her face in his big hands and kissed her on her forehead. Unfortunately, he did it right in front of her father. Edward grabbed him and threw him across the room. Gee Edward, Over-react much?

Jacob and Edward started arguing. Her father told her she wasn't allowed to go to the beach at all. He told Jacob not to come back for a few days. She'd burst into tears and ran to Jacob clinging to his leg. Her father grabbed her arms and tore her away from Jacob. Her Aunt Rosalie escorted Jacob out to his car. Aunt Rosalie didn't like Jacob very much either.

Nessie watched her father take a few more deep breaths as her mother tried to calm him down.

"We're going to have sex someday." She taunted her father.

"Renesemee!" Bella's sharp tone quieted her daughter instantly. As a mother she didn't like having to discipline Nessie for something that wasn't her fault. It was Jacob who brought this on them. Jacob and his werewolf imprinting. Bella shook her head as she massaged Edward's tense seemed no matter what she did, Jacob and Edward would never see eye to eye and she would always be stuck in the middle.

"sex" Nessie said one last time very softly. Bella gave her a stern look as Edward shuddered at the word.

* * *

"JACOB!" Leah stormed into the aluminum garage. She nearly tripped over the creeper sticking out from under his car. "What a slob" she said out loud to the mess in front of her. He'd skipped patrol again last night. _Probably watching High School Musical with Nessie, _she thought to herself. "He's not here" Leah yelled to Quil, another member of the La Push pack.

"Must be at the Cullens with Nessie" Quil replied.

"I'm calling him" Leah scrolled down the address book in her cell phone.

"You do that. I'm late meeting Paul for patrol" Quil said as he began jogging away. If he was Jacob, he would have skipped a patrol with Leah too. All she ever did was complain, hard to take for a few minutes, let alone an entire night.

Leah watched Quil jog away_. Patrol, yeah right._ She thought to herself. He and Paul did one quick lap around the perimeter, then spent the rest of the night watching porn. _Whatever. It wasn't like she wanted to sit around with those pigs watching cum shots all night._ Leah hit send and the phone began ringing on the other end. Once. Twice. Three times. Then voicemail: _Hi, it's Nessie _the little girl's voice said, _And Jacob_ his deep voice finished. _Please leave a message_ they said in unison. Ugh, Leah gagged, they were so obnoxious.

"Just looking for the loser who skipped patrol last night."

She shoved the phone in her pocket and started for home glancing up the overcast sky. The raindrop landed square on her mouth. _Another wonderful day._ She quickened her pace in an effort to get home before the rain began to fall harder.

* * *

Two days later, Leah and her brother Seth sat in front of the TV watching Teen Wolf, an old eighties werewolf flick. It was incredibly campy, but neither one of them wanted to exert the energy required to find the remote control.

"Have either of you seen Jacob? His father is on the phone." Their mother, Sue called from the kitchen.

"Nope" Seth replied.

"Try the Cullens" Leah suggested as she devoured the last bit of popcorn.

"The Cullens are the ones looking for him" their mom replied.

"Oh, no idea then." Leah shrugged.

"Maybe Sam knows" Seth added.

"Sam hasn't seen him either"

"Trying to watch a movie" Leah raised her voice, slightly annoyed. Who cares where Jacob is anyway?

"You haven't seen him in three days" Sue said to Billy, Jacob's father. "Why didn't you say something earlier?"

* * *

"It's been **three** days!" Nessie screamed at her father. "I want to see Jacob!"

"Nessie, please try to be patient. Your mother is on the phone with Mr. Black right now."

Nessie flopped down hard on the plush couch, crossing her arms over her chest. Her lip folded over as she pouted, looking up at Edward with angry eyes. Her mother came into the room with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Well? When is he coming over?" Nessie asked her.

"I'm not sure, Ness" Bella replied. "Mr. Black just checked with everyone and no one seems to know where he is."

"Maybe he's on his way here" Nessie smiled.

"Maybe" Bella replied. "Edward, can I talk to you upstairs?"

Nessie ran to the bathroom to brush her teeth and comb her hair. She wanted to look nice when Jacob came. She looked at herself in the mirror. _How much longer until she_ _hit puberty? _She wondered to herself. It seemed like it was taking an eternity.

Edward followed Bella upstairs into their bedroom and closed the door behind them.

"Jacob hasn't called in three days, no one has seen him. His car has been in the garage on ramps for at least twenty four hours. I didn't want to say anything in front of Nessie, but I think something is wrong."

"Bella, I told you he and I had a disagreement the other night. We both know he isn't capable of handling his own emotions. He's probably in a cave somewhere sulking."

"That was before Edward, he's matured quite a bit since then."

"You give him entirely too much credit."

"I'm just worried. It's very unlike him to stay away from Nessie this long."

"What would you like to do? Track him?"

"I think we should at least get the pack involved. He's probably somewhere on the reservation. They'll be able to find him easier than we will. But, I don't think we should say anything to Nessie. I don't want to upset her."

Edward nodded reluctantly. He knew this brief vacation from Jacob was too good to last.

* * *

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	7. Chapter 7 The King and I

Chapter Seven – The King and I

Jacob was fed, dressed and groomed. Skylar had taught him how to tie his pants, and now he felt much better. The clothes weren't fashionable, but they were so practical. Break away straps she'd called them. They functioned similar to drawstrings but were on the sides, right where your arms normally hung. All you had to do was give them a hard yank and instantly the pants dropped to the floor. No more shredding clothes when phasing. Whatever werewolf thought of this was an f'ing genius.

Skylar was thoroughly amused by Jacob's insatiable delight popping the break away straps. He was like a child with a new toy. He popped them while standing, running and jumping. He reminded her of an overgrown puppy with his carefree manner and goofy smile. She was convinced they had it wrong. There was no way he was sleeping with a vampire. The infallible Mia had finally made a mistake.

Jacob paced his cell while he waited for the King. Skylar had diplomatically avoided answering all his questions. He still had no idea why he was here, where 'here" was and how he'd gotten here in the first place. It had to be a misunderstanding. He was sure once he talked to the King, he could get the situation resolved and be on his way home. Maybe they'd even let him take a few pairs of these pants.

Jacob kept up his optimism, thinking about Nessie. He was trying to figure out a compromise between what he wanted and what Edward might agree to. He knew Bella would take his side as long as he kept his request reasonable. He didn't think the beach had been that big of deal. Quil and Claire went there all the time. Maybe he should start with something less involved, like a picnic.

Jacob's thoughts were interrupted when he heard the sound of the motor. The large door opened and the King and his entourage streamed into the room. The four younger men had dark chocolate skin and eyes with short curly black hair. They were dressed only in the cargo pants, each wearing a different color. There was an older woman with them wearing a long white sundress. She had the same dark complexion as the men. Her braided hair was piled high on the top of her head. Last through the door was the King. His every feature was dark. His skin and eyes were jet black. His hair matched perfectly, with a few hints of gray by his ears. Dressed simply in white pants and a white tunic, Jacob could feel the strength radiating from him.

The six of them lined up in front of the door of his cell. The man who had ripped him open stepped forward and began to speak.

Jacob Black, I am Prince Noel and by my command please step forward to honor King Harper. Jacob stepped forward as Noel placed his palm on the touch pad opening the cell door.

The four younger men stood to either side, as Jacob took his first steps out of the cell. The woman stood before him. Her dark eyes scrutinized his every movement.

"State your name and affiliation" She commanded.

"I'm Jacob Black, Quiluete Tribe" he replied in an uneasy voice. Standing before the six of them was making him very nervous.

"Are you affiliated with the pack in the territory known as LaPush, Washington State?"

"Yes"

"Let it be known that the defendant has indeed confirmed his identity before King Harper" She stated formally.

"It is known and witnessed" The four princes replied.

_Defendant?_ Jacob's mind raced. _Was he on trial?_

"Jacob Black of the LaPush pack. I am King Harper, protector of all Lycans, their territories and bloodline. I ask that you acknowledged my rank as King" the massive black man spoke.

"I didn't know we had a king" Jacob replied. Wishing instantly he hadn't said that out loud. All he could hope for now was that he hadn't offended the obviously powerful man.

The princes snorted and the Queen sneered at him. Jacob's gaze dropped to the floor, so much for that attempt.

"Of course you didn't know", Harper replied. "As your pack has been in exile, I saw no reason to visit your territory"

"Exile?" Jacob said in disbelief. _What the hell was going on here? The Elders never mentioned anything about exile._

"Just over a century ago, your pack disobeyed a direct order from King Silver by signing a Treaty with a coven of vampires. Are you aware of this fact?"

"I know about the treaty, but…"

"Is the Treaty still valid?"

"Yes, but the vampires are…"

"Dead?"

"Vegetarian. They eat animals not humans."

Jacob cringed at the shrill laughter that erupted from the princes. The King and Queen did not laugh.

"Silence" King Harper growled at his sons. Instantly the room was quiet again.

"Jacob Black of the La Push pack, are you prepared to hear the charges brought against you?" he continued.

"Charges?"

"You have been charged with treason against the Lycan community by taking a vampire hybrid as your mate. How do you plead?"

"What!" Jacob gasped in shock. This could not be happening.

"Do you feel you have been falsely accused of this crime?" The King asked.

"No, but it's not what you think. I mistakenly imprinted on her" Jacob replied.

The royal family looked at each other in confusion.

"Explain to me what "imprinted" means" The Queen said.

"It's when you _involuntarily_ choose a mate, a soul mate. It's a rare occurrence." He wanted to stress the involuntary part. It's not like he _wanted_ to imprint on Bella and Edward's baby. Only now, he couldn't imagine living without her.

"Rare, indeed." Harper snorted. "So rare in fact that I have never heard of it before"

Jacob caught his tone. "I assure you, it's very real. Our connection was not made by my choice, but it is unbreakable."

"So you have indeed taken a vampire as a mate?"

"She's not old enough yet, we haven't…"

"Do you INTEND to take a vampire as your mate?"

"Yes. I intend to marry her."

Do you INTEND to breed with the vampire?

"Breed?" Jacob repeated. He made it sound like they were animals.

"Reproduce."

"Yes, I'd like to have children with her, someday"_ Jacob could only imagine how Edward would feel about that._

"Jacob Black of the La Push pack, you are hereby charged with **conspiracy** to commit treason against the Lycan community. You have admitted before the King and witnesses that you intend to take a vampire as your mate. You intend to breed with this vampire, thus polluting our bloodline. Have you anything to say in your defense before your fate is decided?"

"Your majesty with all due respect, sir" Jacob began unsure how to address a king. "Please understand imprinting is beyond my control. It happened involuntarily, before she was even born. I can't stop my feelings for her. I love her."

* * *

Tanner, Ackerly, Crystal and Skylar sat in the control room in shock. They couldn't believe what they had just heard. The prisoner admitted to an intimate relationship with a vampire, then tried to justify it with some unknown phenomena called imprinting. "No fucking way" Skylar exclaimed when he said "I love her".

"I don't want to hear anymore" She said getting up from her seat and heading for the door.

The three of them watched her leave. "She wants so much to see the good in everyone" Crystal said sadly.

"Ain't much good in this one" Ackerly replied looking back at the monitor.

Skylar walked down the hallway to the small kitchen. Her hands shook as she tried to pour herself a cup of water. She was furious. How could ANY Lycan have sex with a vampire? Just the thought of it made her nauseas. Clutching her stomach, she dashed to the bathroom flinging open the door. She felt the burn in her throat as her lunch made a surprise appearance.

Sitting back on her heels, she pulled the handle on the toilet and watched the vomit swirl in the porcelain bowl. She was confused. Sure, she was upset about the captive's behavior, but enough to make herself sick? Skylar went to the sink and turned the faucet on, wetting her hands. She splashed the cold water on her face, then looked up at her reflection in the mirror.

"Skylar are you alright?" Crystal asked as she knocked on the door, well aware of the vomit odor inside the bathroom. "I need a minute" Skylar replied. "Take your time. Noel said we can go home for a few hours but he wants us back at midnight for a meeting".

"Ok" Skylar responded. "See you at midnight"

* * *

Jacob sat on the cold floor in his cell. He was trying hard not to cry, but as far as the King was concerned his fate was sealed. Guilty. His ears were still ringing from Harper's loud proclamation. They were going to kill him. He was never going to see his home, his pack, his family or Nessie again. They made that VERY clear. The few remaining days of his life would be spent in this small space. His deep brown eyes welled up with salty tears. One escaped and rolled down his cheek. He angrily wiped it away. No one was going to do this to him. He was going to get the hell out of here. Fury rose within him, and he got to his feet, tugging hard on the break away straps of his pants. Taking his wolf form he lunged forward growling. He would escape this prison. He was a survivor. He was Jacob Black.

* * *

**Author's Note: So this is it until I edit a few more chapters. If you haven't reviewed, please take a moment and let me know what you think. Love It. Hate It. Remember, anonymous reviews welcome - At least until I come to my senses.**

**Also just wanted your thoughts on the whether or not to post Chapter Eight or go straight to Chapter Nine. Chapter Eight: Hits from the Bong is one of my favorite 'recurring' chapters in the Mia series. It just gives a little more insight into the "human" side of the story. Basically her husband Jason, his brother Carmen and their cousin Owen sit around, get high and discuss life. It's my own little tribute to "the circle" from That 70's Show. **

**Feel Free to Voice Your Opinion!**


	8. Chapter 8 Hits from the Bong

**Author's Note:**

**This chapter is based on actual events. I have changed names to protect the innocent - but you _know_ who you are!!!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Let's smoke that bowl, hit the bong  
And then take that finger off of that hole  
Plug it, unplug it, don't straaaain  
I love you Mary Jane  
_

_Cypress Hill_

Characters on set:

Carmen Castellente – Italian American – mid-twenties

Jason Castellente (Mia's husband) – Carmen's older brother – late twenties

Owen Castellente – Carmen's older cousin (and neighbor) – late twenties

Scene 1: Bacon

[Carmen's bedroom, 3AM Friday morning]

[Owen takes a long hit then passes the bong to Jason]

Owen: [exhales] – You know I think bacon is the most versatile food.

Carmen: Bacon. (pause) Versatile. (pause). Hmmmmmm

Owen: Think about it bacon goes with everything. I bet you can't name a food that doesn't taste better with bacon.

[Jason inhales deeply and holds breath then exhales/coughs]

[Jason passes bong to Carmen]

[Twenty minutes pass]

Carmen: Ice Cream.

Jason and Owen: [looking at Carmen in confusion] What???

Carmen: I don't think ice cream would taste better with bacon.

[Kitchen]

[The three of them are sitting at the table with their bowls and spoons]

Jason: Owen should go first since this is his theory.

[Owens digs in placing a huge mouthful of vanilla ice cream covered with bacon bits into his mouth. Jason and Carmen watch]

Owen: [chewing] I think it does taste better.

Jason: Really? [spoons ice cream into his own mouth]

Jason: [chewing] Crunchy. But not bad

[Carmen takes a tiny spoonful and licks it. Then opens his mouth and eats it while Owen and Jason watch]

Owen and Jason: Well?

Owen: What do you think?

Carmen: I think we are really fucking high

[laughter]

* * *

Scene Two: Mia

[Carmen's bedroom, 3:45 AM Friday morning]

[Carmen is packing the bowl as Owen and Jason finish their ice cream]

Jason: [eating] Owen you are a fucking genius. Ben and Jerry better watch their backs.

Owen: [eating] Thank you.

Carmen: [holding empty baggie] Looks like this is it for awhile.

[Carmen takes a hit]

Owen: When is Mia coming back?

Jason: Who knows?

Owen: When was the last time you talked to her?

Jason: Before I went to Costa Rica

Carmen: [exhaling] Tell him what Carlos said about the divorce

Owen: You told her dad about the divorce!

Jason: Relax. The man doesn't speak a word of English. We were out on the fishing boat and I said 'Carlos, Mia and I are getting a divorce' He looks at me and goes 'A Porshe? Vroom vroom' And pretends he's driving.

Carmen [giggling] A Porshe! Can you believe that shit? Carlos thinks Jason is getting a Porshe.

Owen: [laughing] Dude, Carlos is so fucking funny. I would marry Mia just to have him as a father-in-law.

Jason: Well you can have her. I'm done with her bullshit.

Owen: If I had a dollar for every time you've said that.

Jason: This time is different. If she doesn't come home soon, I'm gonna ask her sister to sign the papers with her Power of Attorney.

Owen: If you divorce her, think she'll still hook us up. I'm on a tight budget. I don't know that I can start _paying_ for weed again.

Carmen: Excellent point Owen. And Jason, here's something else to consider. Who else can get us Thai stick?

Owen: ohhhh. Thai Stick. Yeah, you definitely can't divorce her.

* * *

Scene Three: Munchies

[Carmen's bedroom 5AM Friday morning]

[The guys are stoned and watching an infomercial for The Quick Chop]

Carmen: I never thought about making my own salsa before.

Owen: [laughs] Look you can make guacamole too!

Jason: Do you think they have this stuff on right now for guys like us?

Carmen: Naw, I think it's for old people.

Jason: Old people. Yeah.

Carmen: Watching this is making me hungry.

Owen: I think being stoned is making you hungry.

Carmen: That too

Jason: Is there any ice cream left?

Carmen: I think so

[Kitchen]

[Open boxes of cereal line the counter. The empty ice cream containers are in the sink. The guys are sitting at the table with large mixing bowls full of cereal, ice cream and bacon bits]

Carmen: [using a ladle to feed himself] Owen I really think we stumbled onto something BIG with this bacon idea.

Jason: [eating his with a spatula] We should pitch it to Breyers. I bet they'd go for it.

Owen: This could REVOLUTIONIZE the ice cream industry.

Carmen: And they say you lose brain cells from smoking pot.

* * *

**I know this doesn't have much to do with the storyline. I debated for a few days on whether or not to even post it. Let me know what you think.**

* * *


	9. Chapter 9 When Ignorance is Bliss

**Author's Note:**

**Sorry for the delay in posting additional chapters. Document Manager and I aren't quite seeing eye to eye right now.**

**To everyone who has read this far, I thank you for your time. I hope you're enjoying the story. I would love to hear your thoughts. Post a review (anonymous review feature is enabled) or feel free to send me a message via my profile page.**

* * *

Chapter Nine - When Ignorance is Bliss

Mia sat on the edge of the large fountain in the center of the small Brazilian town. She leaned backward on her arms, staring up at the clouds as they moved across the blue sky. She was trying hard to concentrate on the mission, but Jason's words kept haunting her thoughts. For the time being she chose to pretend she hadn't come home. That she hadn't seen the empty house or read his letter. She put everything back where she found it and then left. She hadn't made any calls, not even to her sister. Her personal life would have to wait. She couldn't afford to be distracted now.

Two women, about her own age sat down on the ledge next to Mia. They both smiled at her, as they sipped their drinks. Mia returned the greeting. They were human, probably locals and by far the best source of information.

"Hola, Habla usted Ingles?" Mia asked them. _Hello. Do you speak English?_

"Pero no se habla espanol" one of the girls replied. _No but we speak Spanish._

_Excellent._ Mia smiled to herself and began a series of questions about the small town.

A few hours later, Mia was sitting down to dinner with the sisters in their small cozy home. They'd insisted that she dine with them. They ate real food, not the processed garbage served at the hotels. Mama and Poppy only spoke Portuguese, so Madalena translated their words. They welcomed Mia into their home, and hoped she was enjoying her visit. They asked several questions about her life in the United States, then revealed that their son had lived in Florida for a few years. Perhaps, she would like to meet him. Of course she would, Mama said without any input from Mia. She would phone him right after dinner.

Madalena and her sister, Pabiola were irritated by Mama's decision. There was a flutter of intense conversation in their native tongue which Mia didn't entirely understand. Then Poppy silenced everyone. He wanted to enjoy his dinner in peace.

After dinner Mia helped Pabiola clear the table and wash dishes. Madalena followed her mother into the other room and Mia could hear another argument begin. She looked to Pabiola for an explanation, but instead the sister told her about the good places to shop in town.

* * *

Lashly was in the barracks, lying face down on a bunk when Skylar finally found him. She sat on the edge of the mattress, gently running her hand down his back. He lifted his head and looked at her tiredly "mmmm" he mumbled dropping his head back down on the mattress. His pupils were dilated so much his brown eyes were almost entirely black.

"Are you high?" Skylar asked him.

"mmmmm" he mumbled closing his eyes.

_At least he's not denying it._ She thought to herself. Lashly was useless when he was like this. Numb to everything and everyone. She crawled over his back, ducking her head so she wouldn't bump it on the top bunk. The small packets were beside him on the bed. It looked like he'd already gone through quite a bit. He'd have to in order to get high. With their regenerative powers, a human dose wouldn't have done much of anything.

At first glance she thought the white powder was coke, then she saw the syringe stuck in the mattress. She lifted the bag to her nose, sniffing lightly. _Heroin. Where the hell did he get that?_ She gathered everything in a pile, placing it in the small shelf at the base of the bunk. Squeezing her body between Lashly and the wall, she curled up next to him. She stretched her arm out, running her fingers through his hair. There was no way to know what he was feeling. Losing a member of your crew was like losing a son. Fisher was only the second crew member Lashly had lost in his three years as team leader.

Lashly moved his head to look at her again. "Do you need me?" She offered, thinking maybe sex would take his mind off the pain. Then again, he was so wasted he probably couldn't perform.

"Just stay" he mumbled again, his voice thick and heavy. Skylar took his phone out of his pocket and set the timer, so she wouldn't be late for her meeting. Then she curled up against Lashly, gently running her fingers up and down the bare skin of his back, until she fell asleep.

* * *

The Princes sat across from each other at the small desk. Noel , the Prison Warden, was listening to Cloisonne's report on his hunting teams. "We have six live captures in containment right now, and one team is still in the field. How many does Father want for the prisoner?"

"He sentenced him to death by vampire, so as many as it takes" Noel replied. "But he's weak. You saw me nearly cut him in half without even trying. I doubt we'll need more than two."

"Fed or unfed?"

"Unfed. It will make it go faster. I'd rather not waste time on this one."

"Male or female?"

"Definitely female" Noel replied smiling. "Maybe they will remind him of his lover." The brothers laughed.

"I'll have them brought up in about three days" Cloisonne replied, taking his notepad and getting up from the chair. "By the way, Lashly lost a team member on his hunt. The memorial is sunset tomorrow."

"I'll be there."

Noel looked into the monitor at the captive. Ever since his sentencing Jacob had been raging inside the cage, pawing at the ground, charging around the cell and growling nonstop. "That's it traitor, tire yourself out", he said with a smile.

* * *

**Flashback. One Month Ago. Kassel District. Germany.**

The three of them sat together in small café. The Scout and her translator both sipped from the cups of hot tea the server had brought to their table. The vampire sat across from them. She held the cup of tea with both hands. She had no intention of drinking it. She simply enjoyed the warm sensation on her palms.

"Shall we begin?" The translator asked in German. The vampire was centuries old and refused to communicate in any language other than her native tongue. She nodded to him giving her approval. The Scout had traveled all the way from the States to see her. This had to be something very worthwhile.

The Scout slid a manilla envelope across the table toward the vampire. The German picked it up and opened it, reaching for the contents. A dozen photographs of a little girl at a playground were inside. The vampire stern expression softened as she stared at the pictures. _She looks exactly like my daughter._

"When were these taken?' She demanded.

"Two weeks ago" The translator replied.

"Is she human?"

"Half human, half vampire"

"Who is she?"

The Scout sat before the vampire a slight smile on her face. "That information is valuable"

"How much?" The vampire replied.

"In addition to my modest fees, I'd like reimbursement for my travel. Europe is very expensive these days."

The vampire smiled at the Scout's request. Money. It's all they ever wanted. She would have gladly given much more than that in exchange for this information.

"Your terms are acceptable. Her name?"

There was a pause while the translator relayed the message. The Scout looked into the vampire's eyes.

"Renesemee Cullen"

"**Cullen**" The vampire repeated. The name needed no translation

* * *


	10. Chapter 10 Rough Day at Work

* * *

Chapter Ten – Rough Day at Work

Lashly heard the alarm go off, but pretended to be asleep as Skylar carefully climbed out of his bunk. The high was gone now. As was the rest of the heroin he discovered finding the empty packets on his shelf. He sank back down on the mattress, his mind still fresh with Fisher's wife's reaction to the news. He forced the thought out of his head. It was too painful.

He grabbed his phone, dialing the number he knew by heart. Lashly knew better than to save it in his address book. His luck Skylar would find it and call her.

_This subscriber is unavailable. Please try again later._

It figured. Lashly hung up the phone angrily. When you needed her the most, she wasn't there for you. It had always been that way with her. Why would today be any different? For some reason he thought she might have stayed a little longer, just to make sure he was ok. That was stupid. Mia only cared about herself the greedy bitch. He rolled over to face the wall. It was only eleven, he still had to make it through the rest of the night. He closed his eyes and tried to think about Skylar, but his mind kept picturing Mia in the shower.

* * *

Skylar squeezed into the back of the south control room. It was five minutes to midnight and the room was packed. She maneuvered through the other guards to find her co-workers. Tanner, Crystal, Ackerly, Dekka and Kennard gathered by the far wall.

"Are you feeling better?" Crystal asked her.

"Yeah. I'm not sure what happened back there" Skylar replied.

"I do" Dekka smiled "Morning sickness"

"At three in the afternoon?" Skylar asked.

"It can happen anytime" Dekka replied.

"Sky, are you pregnant?" Crystal blurted out at the same moment the room quieted down. Everyone's eyes were on her. Skylar quickly shook her head no and crossed her arms over her chest shooting Crystal a nasty look. More than anything she wanted to be pregnant. She just didn't want to the entire prison staff to know her personal business.

Prince Noel arrived and began the meeting. He reviewed the monthly schedule, prisoner census, and of course the disciplinary reports. After thirty minutes, Noel dismissed the south control room staff and moved the meeting up to the north control room.

Once they'd taken their seats, Noel began the second part of the meeting. The south control room staff took care of the general population in the minimal security area known affectionately as the Dog Pound. The north control room staff was responsible for maximum security, solitary and the euthanasia block, commonly referred to as e-block.

"As you are aware the King has sentenced the captive to death by vampire" Noel began. "Cloisonne will be bringing live captures into e-block in three days. Until then he receives 1 and 1 at sunrise each day, no more. He is to be kept in darkness and silence at all times. No one is permitted to communicate with him in any way, unless directed by me. Questions?"

"Are we cleaning his cell?" Crystal asked.

"No. No one is permitted in his cell."

"What about medical?" Skylar asked. "He still has butterfly strips down his sternum"

"He'll survive. And if he doesn't…" Noel trailed off with a shrug. "If any other conditions arise, notify me immediately. If there's nothing else, you are dismissed."

* * *

Mia sat on the small veranda with a bottle of wine and Thiago, the alleged bad boy. She'd finally convinced Pabiola to tell her _something_ about her mysterious brother. "He's not a gentleman" was the only reply Pabiola would give her. Intrigued, Mia pressed about meeting him, much to Mama's delight and the sister's dismay.

Thiago had a few scars and tattoos aside from that he was all talk. He spoke enough English to make the conversation bearable. Mia listened to his stories about when he visited the States. Nothing she hadn't heard before. She drank almost the entire bottle of wine out of boredom. He looked at her and raised his eyebrow, offering to get another bottle. _Ooops_. Mia caught herself, a human woman would be drunk by now. With her accelerated metabolism, she could drink wine like it was water and never get a good buzz. _Have to start acting drunk._ She reminded herself, when he returned with the second bottle. He popped the cork, smiling as Mia giggled. She accepted the glass, taking a long sip.

The empty bottles were on their sides beside the empty glasses. Thiago gently caressed Mia's bare shoulder as they looked out over the small town. "You are so warm" He whispered in her ear. "Perhaps you need a cold shower" Mia bit her lip, thinking of Lashly and the bathhouse. Thiago's poor English when story telling was one thing. When he tried to be romantic it just made her cringe. "Come with me" he said slyly taking her hand in his. Mia followed him out of the house and through the streets. For as late as it was, they were far from alone. Groups of people sat on porches talking and laughing.

They came to a fountain, much larger than the one she'd been to earlier that day. There were half a dozen teenagers splashing each other. Thiago attempted to lift her, but at six feet tall and nearly one hundred and fifty pounds, she could feel his strain. Letting him off the hook, she took his hands and led him over the wall into the water. He tripped while trying to kick his shoes off and belly flopped into the shallow water with a giant splash. The teenagers pointed and laughed loudly. Thiago quickly got to his feet, taking off his wet shirt and tossing it aside. He had many tattoos all over his torso, but one of them stood out from the rest. It was the mark of warlock. Thiago was someone's property.

* * *


	11. Are you there God? It's me, Samia

**Author's Note: **

**Capital Punishment has been finished for awhile now, I've just been very slow in posting all the chapters - which in hindsight has been a good thing. I allowed one person to read the entire thing from start to finish - and when she was done the last chapter, she looked at me and said **

**"I don't get it"**

**After a long conversation of "How was I supposed to know that?" I realized a few important details were left out of the original story. I've been writing my characters for so long I didn't re-write what had already happened in their past in this story. My critic suggested I might want to add some backstory so things make a bit more sense.**

**This "chapter" is literally cut and pasted from the story in which I created Samia. It's the only story I've written in first person, so please bear with me.**

**The remaining chapters are being re-edited as I add the backstories. I'm trying to keep it a minimum as this story is about Jacob and Nessie not what happened four stories ago in my head.**

* * *

**From: Are you there God? It's me, Samia.**

I was terrified. My best friends Heather and Tiffany stayed with me through the night. I would have prayed the rosary with them, except I couldn't. I couldn't speak. I couldn't hold the beads. I couldn't even cry.

_Are you there God? It's me, Samia. I could use some divine intervention right now._

Twenty fours hours ago, I was a normal fourteen year old witch. That was yesterday. Today I'm a werewolf.

* * *

It took three days for my sister to come. Seventy two hours. Four thousand three hundred twenty minutes. I stayed in the kennel locked up like an animal waiting for her. Gwen told me that I couldn't live here anymore. The vampire companions of our coven did not a werewolf in residence. The Estate was the only home I'd ever had. I had no idea what was going to happen to me. Where would I go?

I heard her voice long before I saw her. She was angry, very angry. That was rare for Ellie. She was usually laid back and demure. When she finally appeared in the corridor she was covered in blood. Her face was cut and bruised, one of her arms was bandaged and she was limping. Being a bounty hunter was a tough job.

"Sammie?" She said looking through the bars of the cage. I couldn't look at her. I was so ashamed of what I was.

"It's ok. We can fix this." She swung the door open with her good arm and came inside. Bending at the waist, she leaned over to the side letting her magic bag fall to the floor. She held the fabric in her teeth as she opened the zippered pouch. She held the syringe in her mouth and filled it with a blue liquid, all with one hand.

"Hold still" She came at me with the needle. I closed my eyes tight as the point broke through the skin of my neck. I felt the liquid entering my body, mixing with my blood. Moments later I was naked on all fours in front of her. I started crying and hugged my sister tight.

* * *

"Sammie, are you sure you weren't bitten?"

"Positive"

"This isn't one of your mixed up spells is it?"

"NO"

"Then I guess there's only one other explanation" My sister wrapped her arm around me pulling me under her arm. "Mom never said Carlos was your father. When you came out dark skinned we all just figured he was."

"Carlos isn't my father?"

"He can't be. He's human."

NO. That couldn't be right. Carlos had to be my father. He HAD to be. This couldn't be happening.

* * *

"No matter what the DNA test says. We're telling Carlos he's my father, right?"

"Yes. Sammie"

"Promise?"

"I promise"

Ellie was right. Carlos wasn't my father. But that night we celebrated like he was.

After that I couldn't stop thinking about who my father could be. Mom had been very secretive about her private life. She left no clues about his identity. I knew I had to find him. I needed to know who he was. I needed to know who _I _was.

* * *

"How would you like to spend the rest of the summer in Jamaica?"

"Ellie are you serious? I LOVE Jamaica!"

"This wouldn't be a vacation. It would be more like boot camp."

"Boot camp? As in the military?"

"Sort of. I made a few calls and it seems the best thing for you right now is to learn how to manage your Lycan abilities. King Harper is allowing you to train with his Junior Ranger Team until the fall."

"Ellie…."

"Samia, I don't want to hear you whine. There's no where else for you to go ok?"

"I could move to Costa Rica and live with Carlos"

"NO. You can't control yourself yet. "

"I can SO…" I didn't even finish my sentence. The fury was too much. I burst out of my clothes with a loud snarl. Ellie didn't have to say a word. I saw the look on her face. _I told you so. _She dug in her bag getting out the syringe.

* * *

King Harper was the MOST intimidating entity I had ever met in my entire life. I would take a thousand vampires over him.

_God, what did I do wrong? Is it because I lie so much? I promise I'll stop. I PROMISE. Just please make me normal again._

"Give me your arm, Sammie" Ellie had her blade in her hand. I hesitantly held my arm out to her.

"I'm going to bind your magic while you're here."

"What! NO" I pulled my arm away quickly.

"It's part of the deal, ok."

"What deal?"

"Don't worry about it. Just give me your arm"

Ellie recited the binding spell, draining all the magic out of me.

"Please Ellie. Please don't do this. Please." But she did anyway.

I couldn't stop crying. She had just taken away my only defense.

* * *

I stared down at the raw hamburger patty on the plate in front of me. Didn't they know I couldn't eat meat? I was a strict vegetarian. Mixing meat and magic made you very sick. But wait, I didn't have my powers anymore. Maybe I could eat it.

I looked around the mess hall. All the other Rangers were talking and laughing no one else seemed to have a problem eating raw meat. If I hadn't been so hungry I would have pushed it away. But I was starving. I stared down at my plate again. I was just about to pick up the patty when a boy walked by and grabbed it off my plate.

"You snooze you lose" he said as he took a huge bite.

"HEY! GIVE THAT BACK!" I screamed at him.

"Ok" He replied. He licked the remainder of the patty then dropped it back on my plate. I heard everyone laughing. It took everything in me not to rage right there.

I bit my lip so hard it bled. _Holy Father, please forgive me for the violence I am about to commit._

"Samia, relax." Donella patted my shoulder.

"He licked my lunch." I said slowly through clenched teeth.

"Be thankful that's all he did. The hazing is going to get a whole lot worse."

"Hazing?"

"It's part of initiation"

I sighed. Hazing was prohibited at the Academy of the Sacred Heart, the private Catholic all girls school where I'd spent the last 9 years of my life. It was becoming very apparent to me that Lycans did not follow the teachings of Our Lord.

"Who was that guy anyway?"

"That's Lashly. Isn't he cute?"

"No I don't think he's very cute at all"

* * *

FIGHT

FIGHT

FIGHT

I heard them chanting. This time he wasn't going to get away with it. NO ONE pisses in my bunk. He was so lucky I couldn't use magic. I would have turned his ass into a fly and then swatted him.

LASH-LY

LASH-LY

LASH-LY

It didn't matter that I was the underdog. I didn't even care if he kicked my ass. I was standing up for myself. I was sick and tired of taking shit from him.

After they fight…

Ok so I knew going into this that the chances of me winning were non existent. But I wasn't in it to win. I just wanted to prove a point.

I was pinned down on my back. He used all his weight to keep me there. I squirmed and struggled to break free. He was still drooling on my face. Nasty smelly wolf drool. It was all over my fur, in my eyes and I am fairly certain some went in my mouth.

I couldn't take the humiliation anymore. I rumbled my submission.

He bounced on me one more time before he got off, pushing all the breath out of me. I had never hated anyone so much in my entire life.

I stood up and turned to Donella to get my sundress back. I heard the snapping sound and then felt the sting on my bare bottom.

"Nice try Bitch"

He snapped me with the towel again. I lost control. I threw myself at him in fury. _Holy Father, please forgive me for I am about to commit murder._

* * *

He cupped my face in his big warm hands. His mouth opened and his tongue touched the tip of my nose. It traced all the way up to my forehead. I'd seen enough this summer to know what that kiss meant.

"I'm a virgin. And I intend to stay that way" I said looking right in his eyes.

"Mia" He whispered softly just before kissing me again. No one had ever called me that before. MIA. I liked the way it sounded.

After some convincing….

He pulled the strap on my sundress and it fell to the ground. We stood there naked just looking at each other. "Mia" He said one last time before he changed form. I transformed also, turning my back to him. I tried to remember what Donella told me about Lycan coupling. The toughest part was keeping your legs sturdy enough to hold the male's weight on your back.

When it was over….

Lashly curled up next to me licking my muzzle all over. He playfully chewed on my ear while massaging me with his paws. He was purring very contentedly and so was I. Maybe being a werewolf wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

**Thanks for reading. I wrote that a LONG time ago. I hope it wasn't too painful.**


	12. Chapter 11 Utilities

**Author's note: All Twilight Characters are the exclusive property of Stephenie Meyers.**

* * *

Chapter Eleven – Utilities

At one in the morning per Prince Noel's orders, Dekka turned off the lights in Jacob's cell. Tanner turned the switch on the security camera to night vision and leaned back in his chair. Dekka sat nearby chatting on the phone. Tanner had no idea who she could possibly be talking to at this hour then again he didn't care enough to ask. He turned his attention to the e-block monitor watching as Jacob Black attempted to rattle the bars of his cell.

"What the fuck is going on?" Jacob screamed loudly, grasping the bars so hard his knuckles turned white. "I know you can hear me!" He continued trying to shake the door. It didn't move, didn't even waiver. "Why are the lights off?" He moved down to another section of the cell and tried to move the steel bars with no success. He was panting hard from the exertion. His stomach growled loudly and his throat was dry from thirst. The small meal he'd eaten earlier simply wasn't enough for his fast metabolism. Not knowing when, or if he was going to eat again made him angry. He saw the familiar shake in his arms and quickly reached down to pop the break away straps. Instantly he transformed and charged, throwing his weight against the bars. Still nothing.

Tanner smiled to himself as Jacob Black raged once again. Not even Harper could break out of that cell. _The vampire lover deserves every second of this. _Tanner thought to himself. _Maybe I'll even forget to feed him in the morning._ Tanner swiveled his chair around to Dekka. She was still on the phone. He grabbed the clipboard. "Doing rounds" He said waving his hand in front of her face. Dekka swatted him away and nodded her head in acknowledgement.

There were only two other prisoners in north block. Tanner checked their cells quickly as they both slept. Then he took a walk down to the south control room. Lindsey was working tonight. He smiled to himself at the thought of their last shift together. The conjugal rooms weren't just for the inmates.

* * *

"Bella, if he doesn't want to be found there's not much I can do about it" Sam Uley, the former La Push pack leader, replied. "I'll do what I can, but no promises ok." He hung up the phone, catching the concerned stare of his wife, Emily. "There's nothing to worry about" He said to her. "It's just Jacob being Jacob. He and the leech had a fight over the hell child. Again." He added. A part of Sam wished that there was a way to undo Jacob's imprint, but as the old saying goes – you can't un-ring a bell.

"You're sure everything is alright?" Emily asked.

"Absolutely" Sam smiled and kissed her cheek. "I'm going to round up some of the guys and patrol up to National Park. We probably won't find him, but we should be able to pick up his scent along the way."

"Ok, but before you go", Emily smiled seductively at her husband.

"Why, Mrs. Uley"

Emily ran her hands up Sam's massive chest. Rising up on her tip toes she stretched her neck to kiss her six foot seven husband. He laughed at her as she puckered her lips, waiting for him to lean down.

"Teasing isn't nice, Sammy"

"_Sammy?_" He said sweeping Emily up in his arms, throwing her over his shoulder. Emily laughed as her husband carried her into the bedroom and gently dropped her onto their bed. He descended on top of her kissing her until she was breathless. The heat radiated from him, warming her entire body. "I love you, Emily" he whispered in her ear. The vibration of his words sent a tremor of delight through her body. "I love you too" she gasped as his hands traveled under her shirt to her breasts, gently rolling her nipples between his fingers. She reached for him, taking his shirt in her hands and pulling it over his head. Pressing her lips against his hot sculpted body, she ran her hands over the bulge that had formed beneath his jeans. His breathing changed while she rubbed against him. Sam's hands worked quickly to undress her. In moments, her clothes and undergarments were scattered around the room.

Sam paused to adore his wife's bare skin, her supple curves. Even with her scars she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. His kisses started at her mouth then trailed down her body. His tongue touched every part of her neck, shoulders and breasts. That was only the beginning. Emily let out an audible moan as Sam's tongue reached between her legs. She couldn't stop the wetness in her core, nor could she stop Sam from licking every last drop. The erotic sensations over took her and the climax came. _Oh God, SAM!_ She cried out as she squeezed the sheets in her clenched fists.

Before her climax ended Sam had entered her. _SAM_! She gasped again as his wet mouth covered her own. His pelvis collided with hers and they instantly established a rhythm. Emily moved her hips hard against him. She knew she'd be bruised later, but she couldn't help it. She wanted him so much.

The friction increased and Sam began to tremble. _I'm close, Em_. He managed to pant. _Me too_. She gasped feeling his erection pulse inside her. Sam tried very hard to control the beast within him, but Emily sensed his animal instincts taking over. His fingers dug into her shoulders. He hadn't growled yet, but she could feel it vibrating within his chest as he tried to contain it. His panting changed to brief snorts as his excitement grew. But Emily lost focus on Sam as she reached a second climax. _SAM! _She screamed, clawing his back with her nails.

When he heard her cry out his name, Sam couldn't hold back another second. He exploded inside her, letting out a roar so powerful one of the pictures hanging on the wall fell to the floor. Sam collapsed on top of Emily, cradling her close to him. "That was amazing" he said softly kissing her in between each word. "You are amazing" she replied running her fingers along his broad shoulders. Sam's focus was entirely on his wife. Looking for Jacob was the furthest thing from his mind.

* * *

The water trail led from the fountain to the stone bench a block away. They'd gotten a bit wild, and now they were both soaked to the bone. Mia noticed that Thiago kept contact with her at all times. Whether he held her hand or had his arm around her shoulder. Right now his hand rested on her upper thigh as he told her about a festival that had just passed. He kept looking at her, moving closer. Mia had enough experience to know what he was after. _Sorry, Thiago_ she thought to herself, _it's not happening._

"I think I had too much wine" Mia began her speech. "Maybe I should go lay down" He nodded then moved his hand even further up her thigh. Mia grasped his wrist firmly removing his hand. _He's pressing his luck._

Mia had assumed he would take her back to his family's house, but as they turned down an alley she realized they were going the opposite direction. "Isn't the house the other way?" She asked. "My friend's house, closer" he answered. "I'm not going to your friend's house, Thiago" Mia replied. She turned around and began walking in the other direction.

"Mia, wait" He called after her. "It is here"

"What?" That didn't even make sense. He took her hand and led her to a narrow doorway only a few feet away. The warlock's scent was the heaviest. This must be where he lived. Two other scents caught her attention demon and _**Lycan**_. Mia knew she shouldn't go inside. Confronting a warlock on his home turf was a death wish. But her curiosity got the better of her. Why would a Lycan be associating with a warlock? And why would a demon be here? What if it was the demon on her hit list? It couldn't be this easy? Could it? There was only one way to find out.

* * *

**If anyone has it in their heart to spend an extra two minutes and post a review I would greatly appreciate it.**

_Blessed Be_

_GEM1588_


	13. Chapter 12 Feast or Famine

**Author's Note:**

**Thanks so much for reading - Please leave a review. I'd love to know your thoughts!**

**If you are a Supernatural fan - I just posted two one shots written in a totally different style than my "novels" such as this, but feel free to read and review.**

* * *

Chapter Twelve – Feast or Famine

Jacob's circadian rhythm was completely disrupted. Since the lights had gone out, he had no idea whether it was day or night. He'd slept so much earlier that he couldn't sleep right now if he wanted to. The cell seemed to be impenetrable. No matter what he tried to do the bars and the door were unyielding. He'd have to think of another way to escape. Brute force wasn't working.

He heard the door open and looked to see who was coming. The black man was tall, but very thin and less muscular than any of the others he'd seen. He wore only the cargo pants, no shirt and no shoes. His long dreadlocks swung from side to side as he approached the cell. Jacob rushed to the front of the cell, firing questions. "Why are the lights out? Where am I? TELL ME!"

The man just stood there, waiting patiently as Jacob screamed at him. He held up two containers for Jacob to see, then stepped forward, passing the narrow rectangular container through the bars of the cage. Jacob accepted it eagerly. It was filled with raw hamburger. The second container was narrow and cylindrical, containing water.

Jacob scooped handfuls of the meat into his mouth while the man quietly retreated from the room. Jacob devoured everything in under a minute, he was so hungry. Discovering the containers were made of ice, he ate them too. Even though he sucked his fingers clean of every last morsel, his stomach wanted more. How long could he survive like this? He had to find a way out of here.

* * *

Billy Black sat in his small home, staring at the empty couch next to him. The cushions were old and worn. There were a few gashes in the fabric where Jacob's claws had ripped through the first night he'd phased. It seemed like it happened just yesterday.

His wife had passed away years ago. His older children had left the reservation and established new lives. Jacob was all he had left. He stared at the impression left from his son's large body on the furniture. They'd always had a good relationship. So why hadn't Jacob said anything to him before he left?

Billy kept replaying that night in his mind. Jacob came home from the Cullen's and they'd eaten dinner together. Jacob mentioned Edward not being happy about his relationship with Nessie. But he mentioned that fact at least once a day. Then he complained about his car, which again was not out of the ordinary. He said he was patrolling with Leah that night. After dinner he helped his father clean up and then went out to the garage. That was the last time anyone saw him.

Billy's instinct told him something was wrong. He'd been in denial, refusing to believe that anything bad could happen to his son. Jacob was strong and smart. He was a fighter. Billy had no doubt he could hold his own against anyone or anything. He'd proved it time and time again against the cold ones.

Too much time had passed now. No one had seen or heard from him in days. Billy was starting to worry.

* * *

**Flashback. Twenty seven days ago. Kassel District. Germany.**

"Femke have you gone mad? The idea is absolutely ludicrous." Alavaro exclaimed. He stared at his fellow bounty hunter in disbelief. _What would possess her to even consider such a feat?_

Egan chuckled to himself at the vampire's reaction. He'd warned Femke that Alavaro wouldn't want any part of her little plot. Seeing his dramatic reaction was highly amusing. "She hasn't gone mad, Al. She just wants the girl."

Alavaro gave the warlock a hard glare. "The next time you refer to me as 'Al' I will slit your throat"

The blade whistled as it flew through the air. There was a slight clink as the second blade connected with it. The hunters sparred briefly, until the third blade knocked them both in the head.

"Enough!" Femke ordered in German. Neither the vampire nor the warlock could speak her language but they understood her when she spoke.

Egan return his blade to his side, smiling all the while. This was the part when Femke would convince her old friend, Alavaro to join them on this mission. No matter how many times he sat through these little exchanges, he never tired of their antics."

"Alavaro, look at her" Femke held the picture in front of his face. He turned his head away rubbing his fingers against his brow.

"Yes, I agree she does look like Oska. But she is a CULLEN, Femke."

"All the more reason for you to join us. Imagine how furious it will make Carlisle."

Alavaro cringed. She was hitting all the right nerves. Damn her for knowing him so well. "You realize not even the Volturri could get the child away from them"

"Oh please" Egan laughed. "The Volturri. That's like comparing a T-ball league to the Yankees."

"You have NO idea what you're talking about" Alavaro snapped at Egan. "The Volturri have a plethora of gifts, so do the Cullens for that matter."

"Gifts? I suppose my magic and your cloaking are just parlor tricks" Egan fired back.

"The Cullens have a seer, an empath and a mind reader! In fact, the seer is probably having visions of this conversation right now!"

"Always the optimist" Egan shook his head.

"Alavaro, we have something more powerful than their abilities. **WE** have blades" Femke smiled.

* * *


	14. Chapter 13 Luck be a Lady

**HAHAHA. Luck and Thirteen are right next to each other. I just noticed that. Simple things amuse me.**

* * *

Chapter Thirteen – Luck be a Lady

"It's just you tonight" Ackerly handed Skylar the clipboard.

"Where's Tanner?"

"On suspension"

"What did he do now?"

"He and Lindsey got caught in one of the conjugal rooms last night"

"Are you fucking serious?"

"Sky, I couldn't make this shit up"

"They're absolute idiots"

Ackerly laughed in agreement. "Isaza's down at south, but she'll be your second if you need her"

"I think I'm capable of handling three sleeping inmates"

"Your call. See ya later"

Skylar sat down at her terminal checking the monitors. Everything looked fine. She glanced at the clock, only 11 hours and 45 minutes left in her overnight shift. Time went so much slower when you worked alone. She reached into her bag, pulling out a worn copy of _What to Expect when You're Expecting_. Leaning back in her chair, she put her feet up on her desk and began to read.

* * *

"HELLO!" Jacob screamed from his cell. "Can you please tell me what time it is? Or what day it is? PLEASE"

Skylar glanced over at the monitor, and then turned down the volume.

"I know you're up there. I know you can hear me. HELLOOOOOO!"

Skylar snorted and hit the mute button on the monitor. Jacob Black, vampire lover was not going to disturb her reading. She finished a few more pages before his howling started. She looked at the monitor. The volume was still on mute. He was howling so loud it was coming through the window.

Skylar slammed her book shut and reached for the intercom. Without thinking she hit the button and screamed "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Her voice echoed into the control room. It was silent for about a split second then Jacob started wailing even louder.

Skylar turned on the small radio in attempt to drown out his voice. It didn't work. She glanced at the clock. It was just after 1am. She still had seven hours left in her shift. This was going to drive her mad. She took a long break and went on her rounds. When she returned forty five minutes later he hadn't stopped. _Stubborn son of a bitch_.

Skylar hated to resort to bribery, especially with him but there was no way she could listen to this another minute. Digging through Tanner's desk drawer she found his snack stash and grabbed a handful of beef jerky.

* * *

Jacob wasn't sure how much longer he could keep the noise going. His throat was dry and scratchy. He desperately needed water. But she'd responded, and so he pressed himself to continue.

The door to the room opened and she walked inside. Jacob kept going, but lowered the volume a bit since she was only a few feet away.

"SHUT UP already!" She cried out, pressing her palms to her ears.

"I'll consider it, if you help me" Jacob replied.

"How about this?" Skylar held out the jerky. "I give you a treat and you be a good boy and go to sleep"

"Is it nighttime?" Jacob asked.

"It's about 2am"

"What day is it?"

"Thursday"

"_THURSDAY!_" Jacob exclaimed. "I've been here for FOUR days. How is that possible?"

"Look, I answered your questions. How about we call it even and you stay quiet for me, ok?" Skylar pushed the jerky through the bars into Jacob's eager fingers.

"I'm thirsty too" He said with a mouthful of jerky. "And this stuff is salty"

Skylar groaned "One cup of water and that's all"

Jacob chewed contently on his snack as she left the room. _Not a bad start._ He thought to himself.

* * *

Mia held her breath as Thiago reached for the door. Before his fingers touched the handle the door flew open revealing an angry dark skinned man. He stormed past the two of them down the alley. Mia paused catching his scent. He was the Lycan. He came to a standstill and turned around to look at her. Mia knew he'd caught her scent as well.

Thiago grabbed her hand and gently pulled her toward the doorway. Mia hesitated still looking at the Lycan in the alley. He looked back at her and let out a rumble, inaudible to anyone except a fellow Lycan, warning her not to go inside. Thiago had taken a few steps through the doorway and her arm had stretched to its fullest extent. "Come Mia. You should get on a bed" He urged. _Get on a bed? His English was getting worse by the minute._

The Lycan rumbled again more persistently. Mia let out a small rumble of her own, just to let him know she understood his warning. He shook his head in disapproval, then turned and continued on his way. Mia whispered a silent prayer as she crossed the threshold into the warlock's residence.

Thiago led her quickly through the small kitchen and main room of the house to a narrow stairway. Mia's nervousness grew as he gestured for her to go first. He was only a human, but she didn't like turning her back to him while climbing the stairs. The warlock's scent was very strong now. He couldn't be more than 15 feet away.

She climbed the stairs slowly, pulling her bag in of her. Mia's fingers trembled as she unzipped it and reached inside for her blade. Once the handle was in her grasp she felt slightly better about her chances of survival.

"That way" Thiago gestured down a hallway. Mia kept her pace slow and cautious. They passed by a closed door and Mia listened to the sounds inside. The scent permeating the air confirmed her suspicion. The warlock and the demon were clearly more than just friends_._

* * *


	15. Chapter 14 Breaking the Rules

**My #1 critic asked me why I always refer to Jacob as "Jacob" and never "Jake". **

**Just in case you were curious as well, Mia's sister Paxton is married to Jake Dougherty. You won't meet him in this story, but he does exist in my little fantasy world and I didn't want to confuse myself by having two characters with the same first name. **

**Anyway: Enjoy**

* * *

Chapter Fourteen – Breaking the Rules

Skylar tried hard not to spill the two large cups of water she held in her hands. She turned the corner into the room and saw him pressed up against the bars waiting for her.

"Thanks" he said taking the cup in his hand and downing it in one gulp.

"You're welcome. Now don't forget our deal"

"About that" Jacob smiled at her.

"Oh no, we had a deal!"

"Just one more little thing. Please."

Skylar crossed her arms and stuck out her hip. She wanted to be angry at him. But he was giving her the most pathetic look with those huge brown eyes.

"What?"

"Will you talk to me for awhile? It's very lonely in here"

"NO. I've done entirely too much for you already."

"Just five minutes. And then I'll be quiet the rest of the night. I promise"

Skylar sighed. "What would you like to talk about?" She couldn't believe she was giving in so easily, but working a shift alone was a bit boring.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Skylar"

"Nice to meet you Skylar, I'm Jacob" He stuck his hand through the bars.

"I know who you are and I'm not touching you" _How stupid did he think she was? _

Jacob pulled his hand back inside. He wasn't sure whether or not to be offended by that last statement.

"Where am I?"

"You're on E-block" She replied.

"So this is a prison?_"_

"No, it's an all inclusive resort. We saved the best suite for you."

"HA HA" Jacob laughed sarcastically. "So you work here?"

"Just for now" She said out loud finishing the rest of the response in her mind. _As soon as I have a baby, I'm quitting._

"Is everyone here a werewolf?"

"We prefer to call ourselves Lycans, but yes._"_

"How many of you are there?"

Skylar paused before she answered, not quite sure where this line of questioning was going. "How many do you have in your territory?"

"Ten" Jacob said with a smile. "How about here?"

_Ten thousand. Wow. _Skylar thought to herself._ That was a big territory_ _to exile. Maybe Harper should pay them a visit. _"We have about half that. " Skylar replied. "Give or take a few hundred. There's a lot of turnover."

"Wait a minute" Jacob said in confusion "Five minus a few hundred?"

"You have a bigger territory, so what? It's not a competition." Skylar said defensively.

"When I said ten I meant ten" Jacob held up both his hands wiggling his fingers, "not ten thousand"

"Oh" Skylar said softly. _How could that happen?_ Since they were exiled they wouldn't be included in the migrations. They wouldn't be getting new blood every few years to keep their population up and their bloodline healthy. Jacob's pack must have been inbreeding for generations. Inbreeding resulted in mutations and recessive traits such as telepathy. _Oh God, was he telepathic? Could he be reading my mind right now? Oh Shit!_

* * *

Mia sat on the bed in Thiago's tiny room. He'd left her alone briefly to get her a glass of water. Her instincts told her to teleport and get the hell out of here. Her greediness wanted her to stay and ID the demon in the other room. Greed. That was the one trait all bounty hunters had in common. No matter how much Mia tried to convince herself to leave, her greed won. She sat there on the bed, listening to the sounds in the house. The demon and the warlock were much louder now. _Someone's certainly having a good time._

She listened more closely, unable to hear the sounds that would be associated with a human. Getting up from the bed, she went downstairs to see what was keeping Thiago. The first floor was dark now, but Lycans had excellent night vision. "Thiago, where are you?" she said softly as she crept through the blackness.

"Who are you?" The man spoke loudly, and Mia nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned quickly and came face to face with the bright green eyes of the warlock.

"I'm a friend of Thiago" she replied to the short round man. He was dressed just a bathrobe, and the front hung open slightly exposing the white bikini briefs he wore.

"You are not welcome here, _witch" _and with that Mia felt herself being thrown through the air by an invisible force. Her body slammed against the wall so hard she sunk into the plaster. _He's telekinetic_ She thought in a panic.

The warlock sent several objects flying her way. Mia attempted a counter spell to avoid being hit, but the attack came too fast. She fell out of the wall as the lamp hit her square in the face. With her arms covering her head, she ducked as the flower pot crashed into the wall only inches away. Blood ran from her cuts, and she had a feeling at least one rib was bruised, if not broken. She closed her eyes and concentrated on teleporting, but the warlock somehow sensed it. He began a counter spell and Mia felt her magic draining right out of her body. Her blade was the only option left and so she reached for her bag.

He anticipated that as well and with his ability pulled the bag away from her, breaking the strap in the process. _Oh no_, _he's telepathic too._ _This is not my night._ She blocked her mind with the most annoying song she could think of: _Who let the dogs out? Woof, woof, woof, woof. _Gotta love the Baja Men_._

As soon as she did, she could see it annoyed the warlock tremendously. _What? Not a fan_. She thought allowing the warlock to hear her before she started the chorus again.

"I prefer the Beatles" He replied out loud before sending her body slamming into the floor. Mia let out a gasp as she felt her shoulder dislocate.

"What is taking so long?" The demon asked as she came down the stairs. In the dark, Mia could see that the she was using a human host. Lower level demon, not the one she was looking for. _Dammit._

"You made dinner!" She clapped her hands together and smiled.

"It's just a witch" The warlock replied. "You deserve better, Snookie"

_Snookie?_ Mia couldn't help herself.

The warlock slammed her face first into the ceiling then let her free fall back to the floor. She laid there stunned for a moment. _This really fucking hurts._ Mia tried another counter spell, but she wasn't nearly as strong as he was. Slumped over on the floor Mia made a second attempt at a spell to free herself of the warlock's control over her teleportation. It only made him angrier. He sent her up to ceiling and back down again.

The attempts at spell casting were taking a heavy toll on Mia. She felt herself getting closer and closer to stasis, the point where she'd be unconscious and have no powers at all. If she reached that point she'd be helpless and completely vulnerable.

She managed to roll over and reach out for her bag, which the warlock promptly moved several feet away from her. Mia felt the blood trickle from her ears. Stasis was only seconds away. In desperation, she mumbled one of the first spells she learned as a child. The small spark twinkled in the demons hair, before erupting into a flame. It was a low blow, but Mia had to capitalize on the relationship between the two of them.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" The demon screamed flailing her arms as she frantically ran around the room. The smell of burning hair and flesh permeated the air. "Snookie!" The warlock cried out as he rushed to her side. He grabbed a pillow from the couch and began beating it against her head to smother the flame. Taking advantage of the distraction, Mia focused her energy and teleported next to her bag. She reached inside and with her last ounce of strength sent BYR through the air aimed at the warlock's throat. Her magic exhausted, Mia went into stasis as soon as the blade left her hand.

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

**Please do not take offense to the fact that I explained Jacob's telepathy as a "recessive" trait due to inbreeding. I am not implying that any of Stephenie Meyers shape shifters are the products of incest or any other inappropriate relations between relatives. I am merely emphasing the fact that they have been "cut off" from the rest of their kind.**

**In genetics, if you isolate groups of people (say on an island) for a few generations recessive traits do begin to appear. Sometimes they are physical mutations such as the sixth finger and sometimes they are genetic diseases.** **This is due to the fact that the same DNA is being used over and over again. It's why zoo's across the globe swap animals in their breeding programs, to keep the animals and the species healthy.**

**My sincere apologies to anyone on Team Jacob I may have offended.**


	16. Chapter 15 Wish I Could

**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has stuck with the story. I appreciate your time and your reviews.**

* * *

Chapter Fifteen - Wish I Could

"Can I ask you a few questions?" Skylar said quietly to Jacob. She wasn't sure how to broach the subject of secret powers, but it was important to know if he had unusual abilities.

"Sure. I'm an open book" He smiled at her. At this point, he had nothing to hide. He needed to gain her trust if he was ever going to get out of here.

_Are you telepathic?_ Skylar thought as she watched him for a response. She scrutinized his face for any sign that he'd hear her. _Can you hear me? _She tried to think louder.

"So, are you going to ask me something?" Jacob was concerned by the face she was making. Her nose scrunched up and she was staring at him hard.

"I am asking you something."

"You are? I can't hear you"

"Oh really?" She crossed her arms accusingly.

"Really. Could you say it a little louder?" Jacob asked. Her facial expressions were very confusing. Right now she almost looked constipated.

Skylar took a deep breath. There was no simple way to ask this. "Are you telepathic?" she blurted out, stepping back cautiously to wait for his reaction.

His wide grin made her uneasy. "Only when I'm phased" He replied. "My pack and I can hear each other's thoughts. What about you?"

She slowly shook her head NO.

"Then how do you communicate?" Jacob was curious. The telepathic link his pack shared was such an effective way to talk to each other. It had it's drawbacks of course, but he couldn't imagine hunting without it.

"How do you do it? Can you hear just your pack? Or can you hear other things too?" Skylar asked without addressing Jacob's question. "Do they know when you're doing it? Can you stop it? How do you concentrate with other people's thoughts on your mind? How do you keep your own thoughts private?"

"That's a lot of questions." Jacob ran his hands through his hair. He didn't expect the conversation to go in this direction. It was clear she was on edge. She was standing a few feet away nervously wringing her hands and shifting her body weight from side to side.

"I don't exactly know how it works. When we phase everyone is just there, in your head. I can hear them, they can hear me. The only way to turn it off is to phase back."

"Do you think if I phased you could hear my thoughts?" Skylar knew this was probably the worst idea she'd had in a very long time. She normally played it safe and conservative. Yet here she was, ready and willing to open her mind to a complete stranger.

"I don't know. Maybe?" He hadn't been able to hear Tanner or Noel, so he probably couldn't hear her either. Then again, maybe he could. He wasn't sure that he wanted to hear the thoughts of someone he just met. But her thoughts might be the one thing that could help him get of out here. Access codes, Floor plans, where he could find a phone to call home. In her head was the key to his escape.

* * *

Nessie curled up on her bed squeezing the plush unicorn Jacob had won for her at the Spring Fair. She could still see the astonished look on her father's face when Jacob beat him at the Balloon and Dart game. It was as though he thought Jacob couldn't possibly be better than him at anything.

They'd had a nice time at the Fair. It could have been a lot better if her parents hadn't been three inches away at all times. Would they ever trust Jacob? He was a great guy. Why couldn't they see that?

She petted the animal's plush mane as she drifted off in one of her favorite daydreams: What it would be like to finally kiss Jacob?

She closed her eyes and pictured his face. He'd look at her with those deep brown eyes and smile his quirky smile. Then he'd brush a strand of hair out of her eyes and cup her face. They'd gaze at each other for a moment before he'd close his eyes and lean in closing the distance between them. Then his lips would touch hers. It would be her first kiss. It would be perfect.

* * *

**Back Story. Ten Months Ago. Harper's Compound**

**(A/N: edited from **_**I Do**_** – chapter 4)**

"Spread 'em"

Lashly was slammed up against the side of the van. He felt the knife press against his throat as she kicked his legs apart.

"Mi.." He began, but she cut him off.

"You have the right to remain silent" The pressure from the knife left his throat. Her hands roughly frisked down his sides to his inner thighs. "Unless you want to scream my name in the throws of passion"

"Mia" He said more forcefully grabbing her wrists in his hands.

"Resisting arrest, huh?" She swept his legs out from under him, straddling him as he hit the ground.

"MIA" He said loudly taking hold of her shoulders and pushing her away from him.

"You're not in the mood to play?" She pouted, sitting on the ground next to him.

"Mia we need to talk"

"Talk? You're kidding right?" Mia chuckled to herself. Lashly was not a conversationalist.

"I'm getting married"

Mia burst out in laughter. She fell on the ground clutching her sides. Her entire body shook as the giddy waves overwhelmed her.

"Mia, I'm serious. Mia. MIA." Lashly grabbed her again. "Stop laughing for a minute and just listen to me."

"Ok, Ok." Mia wiped the tears running from her face. _Lash getting married. Oh damn that was funny._

"The wedding is next month."

Mia smiled at him.

She waited for the punch line.

And waited.

And waited.

It never came.

"Seriously? You're getting married."

Lashly nodded.

"To who?"

"Her name is Skylar"

**

* * *

**

"You first" Skylar said to Jacob. He'd just explained that both needed to phase in order to establish the telepathic link.

Jacob turned around so his back was toward her. He popped the break away straps and let the cargo pants fall to the floor. He stepped out of them and phased simultaneously. There was silence. He couldn't hear anyone.

In his wolf form he turned in a half circle to face Skylar. Had he been able to gasp he would have. He hadn't heard her strap pop, but there she stood with her sundress on the floor. He knew it wasn't polite to stare at her body, but he couldn't stop himself. It was the first time he'd ever seen a nude woman up close. Well, maybe not the _first_ time if you counted seeing Leah, but he didn't. This experience was completely different.

He didn't mean to but he continued to stare taking in every detail. His attention went immediately to her breasts. They weren't nearly as large as the Jamaican woman's, but they were still round and supple in perfect proportion to the rest of her body. When his gaze fell to her nipples, he couldn't help imagining what they would feel like against his tongue. She had a tight stomach, her muscle tone clearly visible under the tan skin. Her hip bones jutted ever so slightly on either side of her toned abdominal region. As a male his reaction was instinctual. _Nessie_. Her name weighed hard on his conscious. He closed his eyes as the guilt arose inside him. She won't be a little girl forever, he reminded himself. _Someday she'll be a woman. _And he had every intention of waiting for that day.

The soft shushing sound made him look up again. Skylar shook her head slightly, her long dark hair swung across her back. She exhaled softly, as she transformed. Jacob couldn't call it phasing, it was entirely too graceful, like a caterpillar turning into a beautiful butterfly. Her hair, skin and eyes lightened in color until she was silver. Not gray-silver, her coat was much shinier than that. Her fur gleamed like the tinsel you put on a Christmas tree. Her human exterior had been very plain, but the wolf inside her was simply exquisite.

They were three feet apart, separated only by the steel bars of the cell. She was much smaller than he thought she would be. In fact she was about the size of a large dog, compared to his larger than a bear stature. She silently dropped to all fours and looked into his eyes, waiting. Jacob realized he'd been so engrossed in her metamorphosis, he'd completely forgotten about the telepathic link. It was quiet. He couldn't hear her, or anyone else for that matter.

_HELLOOOO Out there!_ Skylar shouted with her mind. She didn't feel any different, but she'd never had anyone read her mind before. Maybe you didn't feel the intrusion. _If you can hear me, sit down. _But he just stood there, staring at her with that dopey look on his face. It made her feel good when the males looked at her like that. She knew her human form left a lot to be desired. However, as a wolf she was stunning and she knew it. _If you can hear me, lick your balls_. Still no response. Either he couldn't hear her or he had no sense of humor. She was leaning toward the first option.

She let out a soft rumble asking for a response. His head tilted to the side, and his left ear cocked. She knew he heard her, but why didn't he respond? She rumbled again. His head tilted the other way, both ears pointing to the ceiling. He responded with a half barking sound. Skylar sat down and cocked her head sideways. _What did that mean? _He half growled then shook his head hard sending raindrops of saliva through the air. Skylar shielded her face with a paw. _What was he doing?_

**Back Story. One week before Lashly's wedding. Miami, Florida**

**(A/N edited from **_**I Do**_** - chapter 10)**

"Where are you taking me now?" Lashly laughed as his crew pulled him out of the van. He thought they were going on a training exercise, instead they'd kidnapped him and taken on a wild road trip. Nelson untied the blindfold and Lashly got his first look at Miami.

Scantily clad women walked up and down the strip. Fast cars drove down the street. The city was alive with music. It was the most incredible place he'd ever been.

The strip club was a madhouse. Lashly had never been to one before. The pheromone scent alone was enough to drive him over the top. The alcohol flowed freely and the girls…ahhhhh the girls.

Around midnight Nelson and Fisher dragged him upstairs to one of the VIP rooms. "C'mon man, you can't get married until you have a lap dance"

"I don't think I can handle this right now." Lashly's focus drifted to a topless waitress. "Oh God, Anyone have BLUE on them?"

"You won't be needing it. Trust me." Nelson smiled.

"Are you the Bachelor?" The petite Asian girl asked. Lashly barely managed a nod. "Follow me". The room was dimly lit with only a plush couch inside. "Have a seat. She'll be right with you."

Lashly sat down in the center of the couch with his arms over the back. He had no idea what to expect. Maybe she'd be a blonde or a red head.

Her scent gave her away before he even saw her.

She walked into the room swishing her hips side to side holding a pair of blue and silver pom poms. The cheerleading uniform was an exact replica from the Dallas Cowboys right down to the white boots on her feet. "MIA!" he gasped.

"You're still a Cowboys fan, right?" She said tossing the pom poms on either side of him.

"What are you doing here?" He said nevrvously.

"Whatever you want me to" Her hand slowly moved her skirt up her thigh revealing she had nothing on underneath.

"Mia" Lashly panted. Her scent was so addicting.

"Oh come on Lash." She whispered in his ear holding the _sh_ sound for an extra second as she climbed on his lap. "You didn't think I'd miss your bachelor party, did you?"

"MIA! My entire crew is downstairs." He replied in a panic. He couldn't risk Skylar finding out about this.

"Who do you think invited me?" Mia grinned.

Lashly laughed and shook his head. Leave it to the boys to have his back.

"You'll always be my bitch" He took her head in his hands, licking the bridge of her nose up to her forehead in a kiss.

* * *

**Sorry for all the backstory - just trying to shed some insight on the Skylar/Lashly/Mia **

* * *


	17. Chapter 16 Hits from the Bong

**Author's Note: This chapter really has nothing to do with the story. So I completely understand if you want to skip it. I'm only including it because it was part of the original manuscript. When I originally wrote this story I never intended for anyone else to read it and so I added a few comedic relief chapters to make myself laugh. Jason and Carmen are two of my favorite "all human" characters : )**

* * *

_Handle it, handle it  
You know, motherfuckers need to have some weed etiquette  
True, true_

_Cypress Hill_

Characters on set:

Jason Castellente – Carmen's older brother – late twenties

Owen Castellente – Carmen's older cousin (and neighbor) – late twenties

Carmen Castellente – Italian American – mid-twenties

Tessa Castellente – Owen's 16 year old sister

Cameo by:

Mom/Aunt Margherita – Tessa and Owen's mother/Jason and Carmen's Aunt

* * *

Scene 4: Brownies

[Owen and Tessa's parents house. 6:45pm Tuesday night]

[Jason enters through the back door into the kitchen. He walks past the counter and notices a plate of brownies. There is a note on top that reads "Owen Don't touch"]

Jason: Well I'm not Owen.

[He picks one up and shoves the whole thing in his mouth.]

Jason:[chews loudly] mmmmmm, this is good

[picks up another brownie and shoves it in his mouth. Then picks up two more brownies one in each hand]

[Carmen enters through the back door. He sees Jason eating brownies and picks up two for himself]

Carmen: mmmm. These are really good. Did Aunt Margherita make these?

Jason: No idea.

[Carmen notices the note]

Carmen: Maybe we shouldn't be eating these.

Jason: That note specifically says Owen. If they didn't want us to have any, the note would have just read "Don't Touch"

Carmen: [picking up another brownie] I don't know man, that's splitting hairs.

[They continue to eat the brownies until there are only two left. They look at each other]

Carmen; Should we eat the last two?

Jason: No way. That's just rude.

* * *

Scene Five: Tessa

[Tuesday night. 7pm. Owen is alone in his room smoking a bowl. He has two exhaust fans running and nine incense burners]

[Someone knocks on door]

Owen: Who is it?

Jason: Oak Hollow PD. We've got a possible 5-0-7 in progress.

[Owen gets up. He removes the rolled up towel shoved under the gap between the door and the floor before unlocking the door]

Owen: [opens door] Hurry up and get in here.

[Jason and Carmen walk in quickly as Owen locks the door behind them]

Carmen:[sniffing] Are you smoking without us?

Jason:[punching Owen's shoulder] I thought we were all out of weed

Owen:[sitting back down in his chair] I had a bad day at work, ok

Jason: You clean people's teeth all day.

Owen:[lighting up again] So?

Carmen: What's so hard about that?

Owen: [exhales] Some people just don't have good hygiene – That's all I'm saying.

Jason:[laughing] Was it the fat guy who farts a lot?

Owen: I wish it was Mr. Toots. This dude had head lice. I could see the little fuckers crawling all over.

[BANG BANG BANG – someone pounds on Owen's door]

Tessa: [screaming] Owen I'm gonna kick your lazy ass! I TOLD you not to eat my fucking brownies!

[More banging. Bedroom door vibrates with each impact]

Owen: [yells over noise] I didn't eat your brownies

Tessa:[pounding on door] Open this door right now

[Owens gets up. Removes towel. Unlocks door. Tessa storms in the room. Looks at Jason and Carmen accusingly]

Tessa[pointing to Jason] YOU ate them didn't you!

Jason: Nope.

Tessa: You're a LIAR!

Jason: I swear I didn't eat your brownies.

Tessa: Then why do you have crumbs all over your shirt?

Owen [laughing] Busted

Tessa: You owe me $50

Jason: $50 for brownies? They weren't THAT good.

Tessa: That's how much weed I put in them.

Owen: Where did you get $50 for weed?

Tessa: I babysat the twins next door ALL day last weekend – remember?

Jason: You spent your baby-sitting money on weed. Classic.

Carmen: No way there was weed in there. They tasted too good.

Tessa[to Carmen]: YOU ate them too!

Jason: Seriously, those were pot brownies.

Tessa: Yeah. Why else would I make brownies? I'm not Betty Crocker.

Carmen: What's your secret?

Tessa: [shrugs] Must be the Quick Chopper. Ground it up really fine.

Carmen and Jason [looking at each other]: The Quick Chopper.

Jason [to Tessa]: You have a quick chopper

Tessa: It's Owen's. It just came in the mail today.

Carmen [to Owen]: Dude, you actually spent money on that shit.

Owen: Hey, if it makes good brownies, it's worth the $20

Jason: I cannot believe you bought something from an infomercial.

[Owen laughs reaches under bed pulls out shipping box. Hands box to Jason]

Jason:[opens box and looks inside] It's a Mini Quick Chopper

Owen: It was the bonus gift

Carmen: Now we can make Salsa!

* * *

Scene Six: Parents

[Tuesday night 7:20pm. Owen's bedroom.]

[Tessa demonstrates to Jason and Carmen how to use the Mini Quick Chopper]

[whirrrrrr whirrrrrr]

Jason: This thing is awesome.

[Owen opens metal tin and packs his bowl]

[Tessa notices what Owen is doing and grabs the container away from him]

Tessa: I can't believe you went in my room!

Jason: What's going on?

Tessa: He went in my room and took my weed – that's stealing!

Owen: Then call the police on me

Carmen [to Owen]: You stole your little sister's pot.

Jason: [to Owen] I think you've officially hit rock bottom.

Owen: One word: LICE

Tessa: You have lice – That's so nasty

Owen: Not me. One of the patients today.

Tessa: Ewwww.

[One hour later. Everyone is baked. They are watching old episodes of Three's Company]

Carmen: Do you think his name is Jack Tripper because they were tripping when they wrote the script?

Jason: Probably. They had a lot of good shit back in the 70's.

Owen: You know he died right? John Ritter.

Carmen: Seriously?

Tessa: He had a heart attack on the set of that show…ummmm

Jason: 8 Simple Rules for Dating my Teenage Daughter

Carmen: How do _you_ know that?

Jason: Bridget Hennessey was smokin' hot

Carmen: Who's Bridget Hennessey?

Tessa: She was the daughter on the show.

Owen: Did you know he died in the same hospital he was born in?

Tessa: For real?

Owen: For real Little T

Tessa: Whoa. I have chills right now.

Carmen: That is worthy of a moment of silence.

[Everyone pays a silent tribute to John Ritter]

[Twenty minutes later]

Tessa: You know I'm really hungry

Jason: We left some brownies downstairs

Tessa: Ohhhhh yeaaaaah….

[Tessa leaves the bedroom and goes downstairs to the kitchen. She walks through the doorway and sees her mom unloading the dishwasher]

Mom: Hi honey.

Tessa: [looking around kitchen, trying to avoid eye contact with her mother] Hi Mom. Did you see a plate of brownies?

Mom: Yes, I gave them to the twins next door.

Tessa: [gasps] You did what!

Mom: When I saw your note "Owen don't touch" I figured they were for the twins.

Tessa: oh my God. Did they eat them?

Mom: Of course. Every last morsel.

Tessa: Oh My God!

Mom: [eyes Tessa curiously then leans in and sniffs] Tessa, are you high?

***Moral(s) of the story ****

If you decide to make 'special' brownies, make sure you eat ALL of them because your mom might find them and give them to the kids next door.

Also, coming in close proximity to your parents when high is not a good idea. They aren't as ignorant as you might think.

* * *

**For those of you who have read this, please note the children were not harmed in any way by ingesting the brownies.**


	18. Chapter 17 Unexpected

**Author's Note: How are you all doing keeping up with the storyline? Are the backstories helping/hurting? Please feel free to review. Anonymous reviews are still enabled.**

* * *

Chapter Seventeen – Unexpected

**Flashback. Seven days ago. Forks, Washington State.**

"There. Are you happy now?" Alavaro snapped to Femke under the cover of his cloaking ability. His cloaking ability was a unique ability bestowed on him by his blade. He was undetectable to all senses. He couldn't be seen, heard or smelled. Not even by a warlock. He could even extend his power to cover another single entity as well.

"I don't understand why they would have a Lycan as a nanny?" Femke shook her head.

"They probably ate the child's puppy and hired the werewolf as a replacement" Alavaro scoffed. The Cullens were so far from normal nothing they did surprised him anymore.

"So bitter, Alavaro. It's very unbecoming for a vampire of your stature." Femke said with a tsk. She loved seeing his reaction to Carlisle's brood.

"They just get under my skin, Femke." He replied.

"Calm down. If they want to eat animals for eternity let them. It means more blood for the rest of us"

* * *

"Going hunting. See you later!" Emmett called as he and Jasper left the house. Carlisle was at work. Alice, Rosalie, Esme had taken Nessie to the movies.

"See ya" Edward waved. He glanced over at Bella who hadn't responded to Emmett. She was completely absorbed in Stephen King's Salem's Lot. It wasn't enough that she was a vampire, she now felt compelled to read every novel ever published about them.

"Bella" Edward nudged the chair she was sitting in with his foot.

"Huh?" She looked up and around the room.

"Emmett and Jasper just went hunting"

"Oh, Ok" Her head dropped to the book in front of her.

Edward nudged her chair again.

"Yes. Edward." Her voice had a hint of annoyance.

"Emmett and Jasper just went hunting" He repeated inferring that now they were alone in the house.

"I heard you the first time" She turned the page and continued reading.

"I'll be upstairs" He huffed.

By the time Bella looked up, he'd already disappeared. _What was his problem? They finally have a nice evening alone and …ohhh. _She realized he meant ALONE. She looked back at the book. The story was starting to get interesting. She'd promised herself she'd just finish this chapter and then go upstairs.

Edward went into their bedroom. He sat on the bed and waited. Clearly she was only interested in her book right now. Why? He was right here in front of her. He was a REAL vampire, not a fictional character. He imagined himself going downstairs and ripping the book out of her hands, then ravishing her on the floor of the living room. But he didn't. He had entirely too much self control. Instead he went into the large master bathroom. If she wanted him, she knew where to find him.

* * *

Leah sat on the couch with her headphones in her ears. She couldn't listen to Billy Black crying to her mom about Jacob for another second. She felt bad for Billy. Life had certainly dealt the man a VERY shitty hand but this was JACOB. Short of the freaking apocalypse what could possibly hurt him? Without question he was the strongest of the pack. Even weakened he'd kicked ass and taken names. Billy needed to go home and take a Valium. Jacob was fine.

Even with her headphones on, she could still hear Billy's emotional voice.

"I just don't know what to do. "

Grrrr. She took a deep breath.

"YOU WIN" She said in a loud voice as she grabbed Seth by his arm. "We'll go look for Jacob"

"Leah" Seth protested

"Let's just run a quick patrol."

"Why do I have to go?" Seth didn't like being around Leah when she was in Super B mode.

"You wanna hear him cry all night because I don't."

"LEAH!" Her mother said angrily.

Seth pressed his lips together for a second. No. He didn't like seeing Billy Black so upset. A quick patrol wouldn't take long.

* * *

One chapter turned into three, Bella didn't realize how long she'd been reading. She climbed the stairs to the bedroom and he wasn't there. She heard the jets on Carlisle and Esme's new Jacuzzi tub and went to investigate.

The Cullens had spent a small fortune to have the master bathroom renovated. They'd expanded it, added a heated floor, gigantic bathtub and plasma TV. She opened the door to the bathroom and peeked inside. Edward was soaking in the tub. His head rested on a small pillow.

"How's Barlow?" He asked without opening his eyes, referring to the master vampire in the novel.

"Edward" Her voice was soft, apologetic.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. She was sitting on the corner of the bathtub dipping her fingertips in the warm water. Bella was simply beautiful. She was his heart. How could he be angry at her?

Her fingers skimmed through the water until she reached his knee. Even the slightest touch from her made him shiver with delight. She leaned forward tracing from his knee up his thigh with her index finger. Edward closed his eyes again enjoying the sensation.

Splash!

"Ooooffff" Bella gasped as she overextended herself and fell halfway into the tub. Edward jerked himself upright quickly and laughed at her.

Bella righted herself, wringing out her damp shirt.

"Why don't you just take it off?" Edward suggested with a flirtatious smirk.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?"

_Did she even need to ask?_

Bella turned her back to Edward and removed her clothes slowly. He froze in place, not even blinking. The pale blue fabric of her shirts rose slowly, exposing the snow white skin on her back. She reached her arms behind her, unfastening the hooks on the bra. The tiny straps fell from her shoulders down her arm then dropped the floor. She pulled her hair her left shoulder while glancing toward him over her right one.

"Should I continue?"

He couldn't find his tongue to reply, so he nodded instead.

She separated her hair in half, pulling equal amounts over each shoulder. Bella turned to face him, her breasts hidden beneath her silky brown hair. She unbuttoned her jeans slowly easing them down over her hip. Her white satin underwear peeked out at him.

Edward's mouth opened slightly as he continued to watch her.

_Da DaDaDa Da DaDaDa Da DaDaDa Supermassive Black Hole_

The ring tone blared from Bella cell phone.

_NOOOOOOOOOOOO! _Edward screamed silently.

Bella paused for a minute watching for Edward's reaction.

"Go ahead" He waved his hand back and forth in annoyance. Pushing himself to the other end of the bathtub. _Why? _He thought to himself as he rested his chin on forearms. _Why me? _

"Hi Dad"

Edward let himself sink under the water. _Charlie. It's like he knew what they were about to do._

"No, I haven't heard from Jacob"

"I promise. If I see or hear from him, I'll let you know.

"I love you too"

Bella hung up the phone and looked at Edward. "Billy called my dad. He wants to file a missing persons report on Jacob"

Even underwater Edward could hear her clearly. He let himself rise slowly until his face broke the surface.

"And this concerns us, why?"

"Edward, he's my friend."

"Unfortunately"

"I know that you don't like him, but I think we should make an effort to look for him"

"Why? So he can come here and drool over our daughter."

"It's not his fault"

Edward sat up forcefully, sending a wave over the edge of the tub.

"Not his fault! If he hadn't been so obsessed with you, none of this would have happened."

"If you hadn't left, he wouldn't have gotten so attached"

"Well, YOU shouldn't have kissed him"

"For the record, HE kissed me"

"You LET him kiss you"

"Edward, I punched him – remember?"

Edward growled.

"What's wrong?"

"I thought with Jacob gone, I'd have a bit more of your attention. Clearly I was mistaken"

"Are you _jealous?"_

"NO." There was a pause. "Maybe" accompanied by a small shrug.

"I love you, Edward Cullen" Bella smiled as she pulled her jeans the rest of the way down. "There is no reason for you to be jealous of Jacob."

She climbed into the large bathtub next to her husband. The warm water made her cold flesh tingle with pleasure. She leaned against Edward, pressing her cool face against his back. His body was warm from being in the water so long. She loved it when he felt like that. She kissed along his shoulders and heard his soft exhale. Her mouth moved up the back of his neck to his hairline, while she ran her fingers down his arms.

Without any warning he spun around to face her. His lips found hers as their bodies descended under the water. He was inside her almost immediately. His weight kept her underwater, surrounded by the heat and the gentle massaging blasts from the Jacuzzi jets. Her dark hair waved back and forth with current of the water.

She would have cried out his name, but his mouth never left hers. The friction he created inside her warmed her entire body from the inside. As a human she truly never understood how intoxicating it was for a vampire to feel this warm.

Her hands moved down his back grasping his hips. She heard the water splashing out of the tub as their motion created waves. But it didn't matter. Nothing mattered except this feeling. Not just the physical feeling, but the emotional connection they shared during these moments when they were together.

* * *

**First let me start by apologizing for the LAME sex scene. I find it almost impossible to write Bella and Edward. They aren't a very dynamic couple and I can't write 200 pages worth of "gazing into each other's souls". I'll leave that to Stephenie.**

**And in MY world- Bella is still clumsy. **


	19. Chapter 18 Trusting a Stranger

* * *

Chapter Eighteen – Trusting a Stranger

"Almost. Try it again" Skylar said excitedly. Jacob had finally begun to understand how to rumble. It had taken nearly an hour of persistence on her part. He wanted to give up after the first few tries.

Jacob focused again, letting the vibration escape through his chest instead of his throat. She called it a rumble. It was how the Lycans communicated to each other. The sound waves were in a very specific pitch that could only be heard by other Lycans. Not even vampires could hear it.

Even better was you could do it in human or wolf form. And it was universal. All Lycans used the same rumble. There were some downsides of course. The vocabulary was very limited. There were several phrases that sounded almost identical in Jacob's opinion. He had to think hard in order to distinguish between them. He still preferred the telepathy. It didn't require any thought.

"You did it!" Skylar bounced excitedly as he rumbled the Hello phrase to her. She had no idea why, but she was practically bursting with pride.

"hoo-ray" he said half heartedly.

"I'm very proud of you" She smiled at him.

* * *

The Lycans stared at the figure on the bed. The young woman had been unconscious for hours now.

"What possessed you to bring her back here?"

"I…I just couldn't leave her there. She would have died in the fire."

The older Lycan scratched the back of his head. "Na'ahkul you need to THINK before you act. I won't always be around to fix your mistakes."

Na'ahkul lowered his head. "It will not happen again. Next time I will leave a fellow Lycan to burn to their death."

"You know that's not what I meant." Rakeesh snapped at him. "You have no idea who she is or why she was there."

"Perhaps we can learn who she is from these" Na'akhul held up the charred magic bag and the knife.

"Give me that!" Rakeesh grabbed the knife from his hands. "Do you KNOW what this is?"

"It's a knife."

"This is not just a knife, Na'ahkul. THIS is a Bounty Hunter's Blade" Rakeesh said as he caressed the sharp edge with his finger. "What else is in that bag?" He looked over at the dark haired woman on the bed.

_She must be a Thief. A very good one at that. Getting a blade away from its hunter was no small feat. She might have been worth saving after all. _

* * *

**Flashback. Five days ago. Forks, Washington State.**

Cloaking once again, Femke and Alavaro observed the daily routine of the Cullen's residence. Jacob and Nessie were outside playing catch. The mind reader was outside with them and two females were only a few feet away.

"They never leave her alone, even when she's sleeping." Femke grumbled. "Why does the Lycan spend so much time with her?"

Alavaro remained silent. He didn't want to say anything to Femke, but the way they were guarding this child there was little chance of success.

"Have you noticed no one likes the werewolf except Oska?" Femke whispered to Alavaro.

_She's already calling her Oska. _Alavaro thought to himself. Talking her out of this would be like telling rain to fall upward.

"This whole situation is disturbing." Alavaro replied. "Perhaps we should eat and discuss our options"

"I am a bit thirsty."

* * *

Jacob and Skylar sat on the floor across from each other. They'd been rumbling for awhile now. Jacob was starting to feel confident in himself once again. Now he just had to figure out how to get the hell out of here. But Skylar had another agenda.

"Tell me about your vampire lover"

Jacob rubbed his neck uncomfortably. Everyone here had the wrong impression. He tried to explain the last year of his life as best he could. At one point Skylar stopped him.

"I just want to make sure I'm following your story" she folded her hands and pressed her mouth against them briefly. "Nessie is a child"

"Yes, but she's maturing at much faster rate than a normal human"

"But right now, she's still a child"

"Technically, yes"

"That's fucked up, Jacob. I would have never profiled you as a pedophile" Skylar got up and began walking away. "I hope you die a slow and painful death."

* * *

**Poor Jacob. When is he going to figure out that HONESTY is not always the best policy?**


	20. Chapter 19 Understanding

**Author's note:**

**I added a poll to my profile. I'd like help choosing a topic for the next full length story I'll be writing. I would be very grateful if you took the time to vote.**

**Here are the last two chapters of Part I.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

Chapter Nineteen – Understanding

**Back Story. 13 years ago. King Silver's Home Territory. Houston, Texas**

**(A/N edited from **_**I Do**_** - chapter 6)**

"There's three of them locked in the closet"

The green eyed man opened the door and all of the girls screamed. He grabbed one roughly by the arm and pulled her close to him. The door slammed shut once more.

The two girls inside clung to each other.

Skylar sobbed as she heard the other girl screaming.

"We'll be ok Skylar. They're not going to kill us. They just want our bodies."

The door opened again and a different man looked at the two girls inside. He grabbed the taller one and slammed the door again. Skylar sank down to the floor trembling in fear. She could hear both girls screaming now. She knew she was next. Pressing herself into the corner of the small closet she prepared herself as best she could. _Please don't let it hurt too much._

She was only eight years old. Much too young to lose her virtue, especially to a warlock.

* * *

"One more time love, please. We don't get moments like these often" Edward said as he kissed Bella's bare shoulder.

"How about in the bedroom this time?"

"Wherever" Edward mumbled as his kisses turned into love bites.

Belle slowly rose out of the bathtub. The water rolled down her body onto Edward. He looked at her with his deep eyes, letting the moisture fall onto his face. She backed away slowly, lifting one leg and stepping on the heated tile floor.

"I love you Bella Cullen"

"I love you toooooooooo" Bella's voice waivered as she slipped on wet floor, hitting her head on the edge of the bathtub.

"Bella!" Edward cried as he leapt onto the floor beside her. "Are you alright?"

"I can't believe I just did that" Bella said rubbing her head.

Edward smoothed her wet hair and kissed the point of impact. He continued down her cheek then kissed her lips once more. Bella pulled him on top of her. Her back pressed against the warm floor as Edward kissed down her center. Bella ran her hands through his wet hair as his tongue pressed against her

* * *

"Wait! Come Back!" Jacob yelled as she walked toward the door. "Skylar!" Jacob growled loudly. He was a lot of things, but he was not a pervert. He HAD to make her understand that. "Skylar!"

Skylar stopped just before she got to the doorway. She needed to breathe, her rage was staring to take over. _Deep blue ocean, calm blue sky. Deep blue ocean, calm blue sky. _

"Please just listen to me. Let me explain."

Her meditation phrase was not working. Skylar turned around and went back to the cell. "How could you even begin to explain a sick fetish like that?"

He hunched down to her level and looked her square in the face. "I don't think of her like that. I love her like a sister. I haven't TOUCHED her, I swear."

The knots in her stomach tightened. Skylar tried hard to push down the bad feelings inside her but the memory of that day was still so vivid. The day the warlocks came.

Her eyes burned, but she wasn't going to cry. Especially not in front of Jacob Black.

* * *

Lashly tossed and turned in his bunk. All the emotions he'd pushed away were now catching up with him. He turned his phone on and dialed her number.

_This subscriber is unavail…._

He slammed his phone into the mattress next to him. All he wanted was five minutes of her time. Five fucking minutes. After all they'd been through together, he didn't think he was asking for much.

He picked his phone up again and called the prison. He hated to bother Skylar at work but he knew she'd always be there for him. Unlike the other bitch in his life.

"South, this is Isaza"

"It's Lashly, can I talk to Skylar?"

"Hold on, I'll transfer you"

The phone rang a few times

"South, this is Isaza"

"It's Lashly again"

"She didn't pick up huh? She must be doing rounds"

"Isn't there someone else there?"

"She's alone tonight. Tanner got suspended"

"No Shit. What did Tanner do?"

"You know I don't like to gossip but…..

* * *

Leah and Seth took one last look inside Jacob's garage. They hadn't found anything on patrol, not one single trace of him. Leah even checked his out of the way hiding places with the same result. It was like he dropped off the planet.

Seth sat down on the creeper and rolled back forth while his sister checked the inside of the car once more.

"Something's not right" Leah finally said as she shut the car door.

"Where do you think he went?" Seth asked.

"It's not a question of where, it's _why?_ It's not like before with the whole Bella fiasco. He's imprinted now. There's no reason for him to leave. According to Sam he couldn't leave Nessie even if he wanted to."

"But he did, Le."

"What if someone _made_ him leave?"

"This is Jacob. Not even Sam can make him do anything if he doesn't want to"

"Maybe they threatened him or something?"

"I think he would beat the hell out of them. Besides who would have the balls to threaten Jacob?"

Leah and Seth looked at each other. "Edward"

* * *

**Again. I apologize for so much backstory. Part II has much less.**


	21. Chapter 20 Make a Choice

**The final chapter of Part I.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty – Make a Choice

**Back Story. 10 years ago. King Silver's Home Territory. Houston, Texas**

**(A/N edited from **_**I Do**_** - chapter 6)**

The fight between the warlocks escalated from words to actions as the first fireball was thrown.

The neighbors stood outside in the street as 137 Seminole Lane burned to the ground. The explosion was fierce and the firefighters hadn't been able to contain it.

"OH MY GOD!" The neighbors gasped as the firefighters carried the girls out of the house.

There was a loud crash as the second story tumbled down on top of the first.

"Where's Skylar?" Nina cried out looking around frantically as the EMT put an oxygen mask over her head. "Where's my SISTER!" She screamed ripping the mask from her face.

"We can't go back in, it's too dangerous" The fire chief said to the girls' mother. "I'm so sorry"

* * *

The tears were on the brink of showing and Skylar fought with everything in her to keep them hidden. She'd survived too much to let him see her pain. He was blabbering on and on about his mysterious imprinting ability. Mutant. And to think there were nine more just like him.

Jacob hated the way she was looking at him. It shouldn't matter what she thought, but for some reason it did. It mattered more than he wanted to admit. How can you explain imprinting? It's nothing like the physical transformation from man to wolf or the telepathic bond with the pack. It's something that happens on the inside. In your heart. In your soul. How do you explain to a stranger a feeling that is such a part of you, it's hard to believe you could have ever existed without it. You can't explain it at least not with words.

Her stomach began to ache as the emotions threatened to expose themselves. She tried to listen to his explanation, but the pain was increasing. It felt as though she had a kilo of lead inside her, weighing her down. She pressed her hands against her midsection, hoping to alleviate some of the pain.

Jacob stopped talking for a minute when he saw her grasp her midsection. "Are you ok?" he asked moving as close as he could to the bars that separated them. She nodded as she hunched over slightly wrapping her arms around her waist. "Are you sure? You look like you're about to heave." And she did. Projectile. It bounced off the floor, splattered on the bars and the remainder sprayed all over his pants. Jacob reflexively squeezed his eyes and mouth closed turning his head over his shoulder. Even though he couldn't see her, he could hear her gagging as more vomit splashed on the stone floor. The acid-bile smell made his stomach queasy. He reached up to cover his nose and mouth realizing too late that he had some on his hand. Ugh. He wiped it on his pants backing away from her, covering his face with his other hand.

* * *

**Back Story. 10 years ago. King Silver's Home Territory. Houston, Texas**

**(A/N edited from **_**I Do**_** - chapter 6)**

The fire was raging out of control. He overhead the fire chief say they weren't going back inside. He heard the Silvermans screaming that one of their daughters was still inside.

He knew it would only take a second to find her. Less than that. He could be in and out and no one would ever know.

His fingers hit something that felt like a shoe. He grasped it with his hand and pulled. A loose shoe, not attached to a person. Then he heard it, a faint heartbeat. He scurried faster across the floor and found her arm. He held tight and focused his energy, teleporting them both as far away as he could.

Mrs. Trenton heard the crash in her garage and went to see what happened.

She opened the door and saw the girl lying motionless on the hood of her car. The teenage boy was on his back under a pile of empty aluminum cans. She could see the blood running from his nose and ears. "Help" he whispered right before he lost consciousness.

* * *

Skylar knelt in front of the toilet dry heaving. _What is wrong is with me?_ She thought to herself as she spit into the toilet bowl. She couldn't believe that she just vomited all over Jacob and his cell. The she just ran out without saying a word. She cringed with embarrassment.

She leaned back on her heels looking down at the vomit on her dress. The emotions she'd spent her whole life trying to repress suddenly overwhelmed her. The tears started falling and she didn't even try to stop them. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed.

She had no idea how long she'd been crying when she heard the knock on the bathroom door.

"Skylar? Are you ok in there?" It was Isaza.

"No." Skylar said through her tears. "I'm not"

"Unlock the door Skylar"

Isaza looked at Skylar's red puffy eyes and vomit stained dress. "What the hell happened?"

"I don't know"

"You should go home." Isaza said with authority.

"I'll be fine. I just need to get changed." Skylar wiped her eyes and smoothed her hair.

"Skylar, you're not fine. You're going home. I'll cover the rest of your shift."

"Isaza, I appreciate the offer but it's not necessary."

"Don't make me call Noel" Isaza put her hands on her hips giving Skylar a stern look.

"Fine." Skylar sighed in defeat. "I'll go home."

* * *

**Flashback. Four days ago. Forks, Washington State.**

Once again Alavaro and Femke were on a stakeout in front of the Cullen residence. He was bored to tears and didn't know how much more Vampire Brady Bunch he could stand. She was enthralled with the girl and it next to impossible to tear her away.

"Listen" Femke whispered. "They're fighting"

And indeed they were. The mind reader was furious with the Lycan. There was a loud crash and more arguing. They heard the little girl screaming. Then a few doors slammed. Alavaro was almost excited, finally some action!

The tall blonde vampire dragged the Lycan out of the house by his hair.

"Let go of me LEECH!"

"You overstepped your boundaries today Dog."

"I kissed her forehead. There's nothing wrong with that."

"I thought you would have learned by now to keep your lips to yourself"

The Lycan growled and broke free.

"I love her and she loves me. There's NOTHING you can do about it." He shouted at her. "We're imprinted and we're going to be together whether you like it or not."

"We'll see about that canine. Now get your smelly ass off our property."

"You smell worse"

"That was weak, flea bag. Is that the best you can do?"

"You just wait until she's older. You'll see. NOTHING is going to keep us apart."

"Whatever." She said as she pushed him into the side of his car.

"Don't 'whatever' me. I imprinted on her. We're soul mates. You should start being nicer to me because I am not going away."

The Lycan got into his car and peeled out of the driveway. The blonde watched as he went down to the main road and turned right before heading back into the house.

Femke turned to Alavaro "Imprinted? What the hell does that mean?"

"It's probably a gypsy curse" Alavaro offered.

"Why do you think everything is a gypsy curse?"

"The gypsies are vindictive, Femke."

"You have to stop living in the sixteenth century. I don't think the gypsies are cursing too many people these days."

"I still say gypsies"

She shook her head. "Were you even listening? He said 'I imprinted on her. We're soul mates' and that sounds more like a spell than a curse."

"Lycans aren't spell casters, Femke"

She gave him a cynical look. "I beg to differ, Alavaro"

"Mia is half Wiccan" Alavaro rolled his eyes. Mia. She was another thorn in his side. Not nearly as much as Carlisle, but a thorn none the less.

"We should call Egan and see what he thinks."

* * *

"Lashly, I'm fine honest. I probably just ate something bad." Skylar said as he covered her with a light blanket.

"Skylar" He replied gently touching her abdomen. "You really need to start taking care of yourself."

"I will. I promise."

"You better. Now get some rest." Lashly said, licking her cheek tenderly.

"You're not staying with me?" Skylar asked as Lashly headed for the door.

"Do you need me to?" He raised his eyebrows questioningly. Sylar wasn't normally clingy like this.

"Just for a little while"

Lashly shrugged and sat down on the bed next to her. She curled up next to him resting her head on his thigh. "I love you Lash".

"You're my bitch, Skye" He ran his hand through her hair.

* * *

**Flashback. Four days ago. Forks, Washington State.**

"What do you know about imprinting?" Femke asked Egan. She held her cell phone between her ear and her shoulder as she bit into the wrist of the elderly woman. She sucked hard and barely got a mouthful of blood. She looked at Alavaro who was happily slurping from the jugular.

"I thought we were sharing!" She said to him angrily.

Alavaro came off the vein with a popping sound. He gently dabbed the corners of his mouth with the woman's sleeve. "Why do you always assume I'm going to share my kill?"

Egan laughed loudly in Femke's ear. "Am I keeping you from dinner?"

"What dinner?" Femke replied. "Alavaro drank it all"

_Ahhhh Vampires, so amusing. _Egan chuckled to himself before he continued. "To answer your question, imprinting is a form of mind control."

"Mind control, huh?" Femke said out loud watching as Alavaro nodded and mouthed the word "Gypsies". She shook her head at him and his ridiculous gypsy theory. He needed to let go of the past.

"How do we free her of this mind control?" Femke asked the warlock.

"You have to kill the source"

End of Part One

* * *

**Hope you like cliff hangers : ) Don't worry - I'll start posting Part II very soon. **

**If you've read this far, please review and let me know what you think. If you'd rather not post a review, please send me a message via my profile (and remember to vote while you're there). I might even be willing to give out a spoiler or two for those of you who contact me.**


	22. Conversations Ending in I DO

**Author's Note: The backstories are almost done. These are _very_ edited pieces of conversations that took place during "I Do" . This should clarify the relationships in our little Mia/Lashly/Skylar love triangle.**

* * *

Conversation#1

While Lashly is telling Mia that he is getting married, Skylar has gone home to Houston for her bridal shower. This is a conversation she has with her mother and older sister, Nina after the shower:

"You know, it's not too late to call off the wedding" her mother casually mentioned as she spooned the leftovers into an array of Tupperware scattered over the kitchen counter.

"Why would I want to do that?" Skylar replied as she sorted the gift cards she'd received into piles.

"Skylar" Her mother said as she set down the casserole dish with a loud clink. "I just don't think you should be marrying someone you don't love."

"Mom!" Skylar exclaimed. "I can't believe you just said that."

"I'm glad SOMEONE finally did." Nina called from across the room.

"You both can go to HELL!" Skylar replied angrily. "He saved my life."

"That firefighter saved my life too, but you don't see me marrying him." Nina shouted in response.

"A firefighter HAS to rescue people. Lashly CHOSE to rescue me. He didn't have to, but he did." Skylar shot back.

"GIRLS!" Their mother yelled as Nina came into the room. She instinctively knew this was going to get physical.

"So he saved you, big fucking deal" Nina shouted closing the distance between herself and her sister. "You don't owe him anything."

"GIRLS" their mother growled a warning.

"Just listen to me, BOTH of you" Skylar said as she looked sternly at her mother and sister. "When he left for the compound, I thought I'd never see him again. Then I was selected for the migration and when I got to Jamaica – there he was. It was destiny. I was meant to find him."

"Skylar, honey it was just a matter of time before you two ran into each other again. His family lives three blocks away." Her mother said gently.

"Mom's right Skylar. It wasn't destiny. It was coincidence." Nina said.

"NO. It was Destiny" Skylar insisted.

"Do you honestly believe that?" Her mother said as she looked into her daughter's face.

"Yes." Skylar replied confidently. "I do."

* * *

Conversation # 2

This conversation happened right after Mia got back from Lashly's bachelor party in Miami. Her sister Paxton has her own hair salon. Mia was getting a wash & cut at about 4am.

"Soooo…" Paxton began as she combed through the tangled mess on Mia's head. "What happened?"

"I had a good time" Mia smiled. Paxton waited for her to continue, but Mia just sat there with a stupid grin on her face.

"Sammy!" Paxton exclaimed. "You can't leave me in suspense like this!" She spun the chair around until they were face to face. "Is he still getting married or what?"

"Yes. He's still getting married" Mia replied.

"What the hell happened? I thought we agreed you were going to ask him to call off the wedding!" Paxton said in disbelief as she stared at her little sister.

"I chickened out." Mia sighed.

Paxton sat down in the chair opposite her. "I know how hard it is for you to open your heart to someone after what Alavaro did to you. But this is LASHLY. If you were meant to be with anyone, it's him"

"But Jason…" Mia began.

"Don't even say that fucker's name around me" Paxton said as she rolled her eyes. "Remember what I said to you when you started hanging out with Carmen?"

"Yes" It was Mia's turn to roll her eyes.

"What did I tell you?" Paxton's head bobbed cockily.

"Not to join the Stoner Mafia" Mia replied shaking her head.

"And what did you do? You didn't just JOIN them." Paxton exclaimed. "You're their President. I still cannot believe you teleport all the way to Asia just so they can have 'the good stuff'" she made sarcastic quotes in the air.

"I thought we were talking about Lashly" Mia said abruptly. She couldn't sit through another of Paxton's tirades on how much she hated the Castellente family.

"Fine then. Let's talk about Lashly." Paxton said eager to get back to this topic. "What happened? Did he tell you he was head over heels for Taylor?"

"Her name is Skylar" Mia corrected her sister. "And no, he didn't mention her at all"

"So what did he say?" Paxton asked.

"We didn't exactly talk that much" Mia scrunched up her nose and bit her lip watching as her sister immediately understood.

"Well sex is good too." Paxton conceded. "But you really need to tell him you love him."

"I don't think I can." Mia replied. "He wants to have children and I don't think I'm the best candidate for motherhood."

"That's ridiculous!" Paxton exclaimed. "You would make a GREAT mother!"

"Paxton, let's be honest with each other. Mom was a great hunter, but she was a terrible mother."

"SAMMY!" Paxton said angrily. "She did what she had to do. Maybe she wasn't a soccer mom driving us around in a mini-van, but she loved more than anything else in the world." Paxton wiped the tears from her eyes.

"She loved us so much, she GAVE US AWAY!" Mia fired back, fighting her own tears.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear you say that." Paxton got up and walked into the back room punching the wall as she passed through the doorway.

Mia ripped off the plastic bib and followed her sister. "Paxton, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that about mom. It's just living the way a hunter has to live, I don't know how mom did it. I can't imagine being pregnant or having children. And even if I did somehow manage to stay out of danger long enough to get through pregnancy and childbirth, Lashly has this very traditional idea of family. You know the 1950's version where I'd stay at home with the kids and bake cookies all day."

Paxton smiled a little. "You need to tell Lashly where he can shove those cookies."

"That'd go over well" Mia smiled a little too. "It's just I want him to have his dream, even if that means he's with someone else. And besides, Skylar is a Silver. I can't exactly compete with that bloodline."

"So she's descended from royalty and immune to silver bullets, who cares?" Paxton shrugged. "WE are magic and that is so much better.

"Lashly wants his bloodline to be strong and pure, Paxton." Mia sighed. "It's just not meant to be."

"Not meant to be? Do you honestly believe that?" Paxton gasped.

"Yes." Mia replied sadly. "I do."

* * *

Conversation #3

It's five minutes before Lashly and Skylar's wedding. Lashly has a serious case of cold feet to the point where he's been in the bathroom vomiting. As he was cleaning himself up at the sink, he's talking to his best man (and brother) Griffin.

"You know it's not too late" Griffin inclined his head in the direction of the window. "I have my car keys in my pocket. We could be in Mexico by sunset"

"Don't tempt me" Lashly replied as he blotted his face with the damp paper towel.

"Let's do it then." Griffin began opening the window. Lashly looked at his path to freedom longingly. How bad would it be if he left right now? He sighed. Their entire territory was here. He couldn't just walk away.

"Shut the window, man" Lashly told his brother. "I'm not about to run away from this."

"Are you sure?" Griffin looked at his brother's face for any sign that his emotions and words were conflicting.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Lashly said as he poured an entire pack of tic tacs in his mouth.

"So you're going through with it?" Griffin leaned against the wall stunned. Ever since his bachelor party every other word out of Lashly's mouth had been Mia.

"Of course I am. She's a Silver. I'd be a fool not to." Lashly answered while chewing on the tic tacs.

"What about Mia?" Griffin said as he began shutting the window.

"I think she'll be here today." Lashly smiled into the mirror checking his teeth.

"You _invited_ her" Griffin said in shock.

"Not invited, but she knows where and when. I think when the minister gets to that part about people objecting, we may get a little surprise" Lashly smiled into the mirror again. _Actions speak louder than words, Mia. I know you love me. So prove it._

"You think she's really gonna show up and stop the wedding?" Griffin laughed.

"Yes" Lashly replied optimistically. "I do"

* * *

**Obviously Mia does not stop their wedding - but why she doesn't is a whole other story : )**

**So, keeping these conversations mind, things are about to change drastically for our little threesome.**


	23. Chapter 21 A Dream is a Wish

**Author's Note: So now we begin Part Two - it's a bit longer than Part One and while it starts slow, the momentum picks up in a few chapters.**

**This is another semi-recurring chapter I write alot - the dream sequence - it's usually random thoughts that I write down that don't seem to fit anywhere in the story. So I make them dreams. However, in this case they do integrate with the story.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty One – A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Skylar heard Lashly's steady breathing. He was sound asleep. She curled up beside him resting her head on his chest. She listened to his heart beating and closed her eyes.

"_Open your eyes Mia" Lashly told her as they stood on the sandy beach. He watched as her eyes fluttered for a second before opening. _

"_Where are we?" She gasped looking around._

"_On a beach" He smiled at her._

"_I can see that much" She laughed kicking sand his way. "How did we get here?"_

"_Does it matter?" He wasn't ready to share his secret yet._

"_I guess not" Mia shrugged then she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I think we should go skinny dipping"_

"_Skinny dipping?" Lashly raised an eyebrow._

"_Race ya" Mia's arms dropped as she sprinted toward the ocean._

"_Oh no you don't" Lashly dashed after her tackling her into the sand. She laughed and squirmed underneath him. He straddled over her, grabbing her wrists and pinning them into the sand._

"_I surrender to you, O Mighty Lashly" she laughed. _

_He smiled at her before leaning over to kiss her. She kissed him back, running her fingers through his hair. "So, in case you haven't heard I'm retiring."_

"_Retiring?"_

"_I turned in my blade"_

"_No more hunting?"_

"_Nope. I'm all yours now." She paused to gaze deeply into his eyes. "I love you, Lashly"_

"_You know how long I've been waiting to hear that?" He said as he pressed his mouth against hers._

* * *

Skylar found herself drifting off into slumber as she listened to the calming beat of Lashly's heart.

_She was running from the green eyed man. No matter how fast she moved her legs he kept gaining on her. She ran past her childhood home, past her elementary school and past the playground. He was right behind her. She could feel his hot breath on the back of her neck._

_Suddenly the landscape changed and she was on the compound. She pumped her arms as she sprinted toward the prison. She knew someone would be there to help her. She was almost to the main gate when the second man appeared out of no where. He grabbed her in his arms and held a knife against her throat. She was winded from running but tried not to breath too hard. Each breath she took the knife cut deeper into her throat._

_The first man approached her slowly. "Did you honestly think you could escape us?" The terror overwhelmed her and she closed her eyes. _This is just a bad dream. This is just a bad dream. She told herself.

_She opened her eyes but he was still there. She wanted to cry out for help, but she was too scared. _NO_. She told herself. _I can't be afraid anymore. _She took a deep breath then raged. She burst out of her human form into the beast that stayed hidden inside her. _

_She spun around tearing the man's head off with her strong jaws. The knife fell from his hand to the ground with a clanking sound. His warm blood sprayed all over her. She paused, taking a moment to enjoy her victory as the blood rained down staining her silver fur. _

_The other man began running away and now it was her turn to chase him. She charged forward and in three steps was on top of him. Her sharp claws tore through his skin. The blood seeped from the deep gashes on his back. Skylar didn't hesitate as she bit through his neck, tossing his head several feet away. _

_She stepped away from the bodies, admiring her handiwork. _I'm not afraid of you anymore.

* * *

"She's so peaceful when she sleeps, isn't she?" Edward whispered to Bella as they laid on the bed with Nessie curled up in between them.

"_Hey batter batter, Sw-wing batter" Jacob cried out as he heckled Edward. Esme waited for the next lightning bolt before pitching the ball._

"_Can someone shut him up please?" Edward asked loudly straightening up and letting the bat drop to his shoulder._

"_MissIt MissIt" Jacob coughed loudly._

_The lightning flashed in the sky, and Esme threw the baseball hard at Edward. With a perfect swing of his bat Edward sent the ball soaring over the tall pine trees._

"_That ties it up" Alice announced. "Nessie if you can hit it, we'll win"_

"_I'll hit it" Nessie said confidently._

"_Yes you will" Alice gave her a wink._

_Nessie took the bat from her father and stood at the plate. Carlisle tossed Esme another baseball as they waited._

"_You can do it, Nessie" Jacob yelled from the sidelines. "Just like we practiced. Keep your eye on the ball. Elbow Up. Level swing"_

_The lightning flashed again and Esme threw the ball. Nessie swung hard and missed._

"_That's ok. That's ok, Nessie. Next one's yours." Jacob called out encouragingly._

_Edward threw the ball back to Esme as the thunder rumbled loudly overhead. _

"_Ready Nessie?" Esme asked as she prepared to pitch._

"_Ready" Nessie answered._

_Esme threw the ball again. Nessie threw her weight into the swing making contact. The ball rose high up in the air, only to come straight down into Esme's glove._

"_Awwww." Nessie pouted throwing her bat to the ground. "I hate baseball". Jacob rushed over to her side putting his arm around her. "That was a great swing, Nessie. Esme threw you a slider – WHICH WAS UNFAIR" He added loudly. "If she hadn't cheated you would have hit at least a triple"_

_Nessie shrugged under the weight of his arm. "I don't care. Baseball is stupid."_

"_Baseball is NOT stupid" Jacob said as he picked her up and flipped her over his shoulder and began tickling her. Nessie wasn't the least bit ticklish, but she played along. _

"_Stop it, meanie" She said through her giggling._

"_I think she's had enough, Jacob" Edward said as he suddenly appeared next to them._

"_Dad, I'm fine. Jacob was just messing around."_

_Edward gave them both a critical look, but didn't say anything else._

"_Edward, Nessie come on" Alice called. "Esme's waiting for you. Carlisle is going to be late for work"_

"_I'll give Nessie a ride home" Jacob offered._

_Edward gave him another critical look as he scoured Jacob's mind for any inappropriate thoughts. Finding nothing he conceded. "I want her home in one hour. A minute later and I will come looking for her."_

"_One hour. Got it" Jacob turned to Nessie and gave her the double thumbs up signal._

_Nessie shook with excitement thinking of what they could do with a whole hour alone._

"_Nessie, I can hear you" Edward called as he walked toward the car._

"_So" Jacob bit his lip. "What were you thinking about?"_

"_Kissing" Nessie said shyly looking down at her feet._

"_Kissing" Jacob repeated with a wide smile. "We can do that."_

"_You'll kiss me?" She looked up at him in surprise._

"_Of course I will. I love you Nessie." And with that he put his finger under her chin tilting her head up slightly. "Close your eyes" He whispered._

_Nessie took a deep breath and did as he asked. The butterflies in her stomach went wild. She could feel him getting closer. His warm breath was just millimeters away. Then his lips brushed hers so softly she barely felt it. He pulled away, and she opened her eyes. "Do it again, Jacob."_

* * *

Isaza glanced over at the monitor. She noticed the mute button was lit and she pressed it with her finger. Jacob's loud snoring came over the speaker. "Not listening to that all night" Isaza said as she hit the mute button again.

"_Good morning Jacob"_

"_huh?" Jacob said groggily rolling over on his mattress. Nessie was in his room standing at the foot of his bed._

"_Nessie! You shouldn't be here" Jacob rubbed his eyes as he looked at her small figure. "Your parents are going to kill me if they catch you here."_

"_It's ok, they know."_

"_Nessie…"_

"_I have something to show you."_

"_You are going to get me in big trouble, little girl." Jacob smiled, giving her his full attention._

"_Trust me. You want to see this."_

"_Ok Ok." Jacob sat up in bed. "Show me"_

"_Ready?"_

"_Yes."_

_Nessie backed a few steps away from the bed. She reached her hands behind her neck and untied the knot of her yellow sundress. He watched the dress fall to the floor._

"_Nessie! Get dressed right now." Jacob covered his eyes._

"_Just watch Jacob."_

"_Nessie!"_

"_I want you to see this."_

"_NO"_

"_Fine. I'll turn around. Just open your eyes. Ok"_

_Jacob peeked through his fingers. Nessie stood with her back to him._

"_Are you watching?"_

"_Yes."_

_With that Nessie shook her head slightly from side to side. Her long dark hair swung across her flawless white skin. Then she transformed right before his very eyes. She matured ten years in a matter of seconds. She turned around to face him, waiting for his reaction._

_His jaw dropped at the sight of her perfect body._

"_Nessie" He moved toward her. All he wanted was to touch her. But before he could, she was already on the bed beside him. _

"_Do you still think I'm the most beautiful girl in the world?" She asked nervously._

"_Oh God yes" Jacob panted as he memorized every detail of her._

"_Will you kiss me?"_

_Jacob didn't waste time answering. He cupped her chin in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. It felt like he'd waited an eternity for this moment. He pulled away to gaze into her eyes. "Don't stop" she whispered. Jacob tilted his head the opposite way and kissed her again harder this time. He was filled with so much love, so much desire, so much need. _

"_Nessie" He pulled her into him, breathing her scent. His lips left hers only to explore the rest of her body. He cupped her delicate breasts in his hands. "Jacob" She gasped as he took her nipple into his mouth. The feeling of his warm wet tongue made the space between her legs tingle._

_He held her in his arms as she leaned back on her elbows all the while his mouth never left her breast. She let her elbows slide out to the sides so she was flat on her back. One of Jacob's hands traveled down her midsection to the thin hair between her legs. Reflexively she brought her knees together and tensed up a little._

"_Jacob" she said uncertainly. "This is my first time"_

"_Mine too." He mumbled as he traced her nipple with his tongue._

"_So you don't know what you're doing either" She said relieved._

"_We'll learn together" He smiled at her. She grinned in response letting her knees drop to either side._

_His fingers slid down her folds, then back up again. Nessie laid there with her eyes closed. "Tell me what feels good" Jacob said as he watched for her reaction. Her hips lifted from the bed and thrust against his hand. "Everything" She panted "Everything you do feels so good."_

"_There" She cried loudly. "Right there" Her hand reached between her legs and grabbed his wrist. Jacob quickly repeated the motion. Nessie's eyes were squeezed closed as she panted hard. "Jaaacccobbb!" She moaned loudly as he slipped one of his fingers inside her._

_Jacob could feel his erection pulsing. He wanted so much to be inside her, but at the same time he loved watching her. He slid a second finger inside her and felt her walls tense up around it. She sucked her breath in loudly. "Too much?" he asked pausing momentarily._

"_Just tell me before you do that" She exhaled. _

"_Ok. Tell me when you're ready Nessie" Jacob replied as he rubbed his thumb along her slippery fold._

_She opened her eyes at him smiling. "Kiss me, Jacob." _

_He leaned over her and lowered his mouth onto hers. Her mouth opened and he slipped his tongue inside. He felt the tension lessen between her legs as he kissed her. He gently began moving his fingers once again. Nessie's hips rose up against his hand and she hugged him tightly._

"_I want you inside me." She whispered in his ear._

"_Are you sure?" he whispered back. "It might hurt a little the first time"_

"_Don't even try to talk me out of this" Nessie said as she nibbled on his earlobe._

_Jacob exhaled hard as her words vibrated though him. He straddled over her touching his erection to the top of her mound._

"_That's a lot bigger than your fingers" She said with her eyebrows raised._

"_I hope so" Jacob smiled. "Are you sure about this?"_

"_Yes." Nessie answered. "I'm positive" _

_Jacob slid the tip of his penis down her fold and pressed it against her opening, stimulating her clitoris with his thumb._

"_I love you Jacob."_

"_I love you too, Nessie"_

_He pressed himself into her, shuddering in ecstasy at the hot tight sensation of being inside a woman._

"_Nessie" He moaned, as he descended on top of her, kissing her with every ounce of love he had in his body. _

* * *

**Just wanted to mention that I'm taking on a Twilight experiment. I've posted one chapter in a random story titled "Two Virgins, One Backseat" starring Jacob and Bella in his Rabbit. The second chapter is almost done and a third chapter is in the outline stage.**

**My great experiment is that I am a VERY methodical writer. I make detailed plot summaries and outlines - Edit like mad - then rewrite, rewrite, rewrite**

**This story I'm just throwing it out there as I write it. So I have no clue where it's going to end up - other than the backseat of course ; ) **


	24. Chapter 22 Life's a Beach

**Sorry for the delay in getting these next chapters posted.**

**A few of the Twilight entities may act a bit out of character, though I tried my best to keep them as close to SM's version as possible.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty Two – Life's a Beach

"Sam, will you just LISTEN to me for a minute?" Leah screamed as she trudged behind him across the beach. She hated having to be here with him in the first place, and now he didn't agree with her.

Sam turned around sharply and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Leah DO NOT go near the Cullens. That is an order." He growled.

"I don't take orders from you anymore" Leah angrily broke free of his grasp.

"Leah, until Jacob decides to grace us with his presence. I am in charge. Is that clear?" Sam said forcefully.

"Fuck You Sam" She snapped turning away in fury. _Who the hell did he think he was telling her what to do? He lost that privilege a long time ago._

"Leah" He said his voice softer now. But she ignored him as she broke into a sprint and headed down the beach. He felt terrible about having to pull rank like that, but it had to be done. There was a Treaty and the pack had to abide by certain rules. Showing up uninvited at the Cullen's residence and accusing Edward of something they couldn't prove even happened was not the way to keep the peace between their species.

**Flashback. Four Days ago. Forks, Washington State**

"I hate sand" Femke said to Alavaro as they walked along the beach on the Quileute Reservation. They'd tracked Jacob to LaPush, but got his smell confused with the other Lycans there.

"They're nearby" Alavaro sniffed the air. "This way." He led Femke inland into the tree line where they moved quickly following the scent. The three tall dark skinned men were sitting around a small campfire talking and drinking beer.

"Oh dear" Femke sighed as she looked at them "They all look the same to me."

"Me too." Alavaro replied. "We should just kill them all and be done with it"

"Fine by me" Femke reached for her blade.

"SAM, PAUL, JARED" Emily yelled from the house. "Dinner's ready!"

"Dinner!" Jared said with enthusiasm.

"We should go eat. Here hold my beer" Sam said handing the bottle to Paul. He tossed a handful of dirt over the flame.

Femke and Alavaro looked at each other. "His name is Jacob, right?" Femke asked. "The one we want."

"Yes, Jacob" Alavaro confirmed.

They watched as the men walked toward the small house.

"He's got to be nearby." Alavaro said. "Let's keep looking"

Still under the protective cloak they ambled through the woods trying to identify each Lycan's individual scent. Alavaro stopped suddenly holding in his arm in front of Femke, blocking her way. "Wait" He whispered sniffing the air. Femke inhaled too. A wide smiled crossed her face.

"Now there's a familiar smell" She commented. "Let's go"

The pair of vampires followed the trail until they came to a small metal structure. Alavaro watched as their Lycan fought to open the rusted metal doors. One of the doors kept sticking and so the Lycan had a bit of a tantrum as he yelled and kicked at the door. He squeezed through the small opening disappearing inside for a minute. When he forced himself back outside he had a small can of WD-40. The vampires heard a soft ssshhhhh sound as he sprayed the top of the door.

"Jacob! Dinner!" A man's voice called out from a distance.

"OK!" Jacob yelled back as he shook the can vigorously. Empty. _Damn it. What else could go wrong? _He angrily threw the can at the garage. There was a loud bang as it dented the metal side. "ARGH!" Jacob cried out picking up the can and heading home to eat.

"Looks like it's suppertime" Femke said to Alavaro.

"We should let him have a last meal before we kill him." Alavaro replied.

"I agree." Femke nodded. "Let's go over the plan while we wait"

*****

Skylar woke up as soon as Lashly rolled off the bed.

"Are you leaving me?" she asked sadly.

"Skye, what is up with the needy attitude? You KNOW I hate that" Lashly snapped.

"I just thought we could spend the day together." She replied as Lashly shot her an annoyed look. "Maybe just eat breakfast together?" she asked hopefully.

"I have a lot of shit to do today. I have a meeting with Prince Elban about recruiting a new team member. It's a testing day for the Junior Rangers AND my team has drills this afternoon. Find someone else to spend the day with." Lashly replied as he walked toward the door.

"You know I don't have any real friends here." She said with a sigh.

"It's not my fault you don't have friends. I can't do EVERYTHING for you."

"What am I supposed to do all day by myself?" Skylar whined.

Lashly despised the whiney tone. He had to take a moment before he responded to keep himself from saying something he would regret. "There's a sandcastle building contest at the beach today. A couple of the guys said their wives and kids are going. I think it starts around nine." Lashly said then closed the door quickly behind him. He couldn't worry about what Skylar was doing today. He had entirely too much on his mind right now. He needed to convince Elban to let him recruit from the Rogues. They were the best of the best when it came Harper's legion army. He had one particular candidate in mind, Aislin. He hadn't discussed having a female on the crew with the guys yet. He was certain they (and their wives) wouldn't be very happy about it. First things first though, if he didn't get Elban's approval, it wouldn't happen. Today's meeting was critical.

*****

Sam Uley paced along the shoreline. The small waves lapped against his ankles. It had been a long time since he had to think like a leader. Jacob was supposed to be the Alpha so Sam had just rolled over and gave it to him. He'd been perfectly content to give up the constant worrying about everything. Emily had been so relieved when he told her.

Jacob had done some things that Sam knew he would have never done. But it had worked out in the end and so he let it go. Jacob Black was the better leader. It killed Sam's ego a little but he knew that this was how it was meant to be.

Now he was forced to steps into shoes that were no longer his. Making these decisions was so much harder now. He kept second guessing himself. Asking "what would Jacob do?" What would he do if their roles were reversed? For starters, Jacob would listen to Leah.

There was no way Leah could be right. Jacob and the Cullens in spite of their differences were quite close. He was there every day. There was no way Carlisle would let Edward act in a way that would compromise the Treaty. And what about Bella? She and Jacob were still friends. She wouldn't let anything happen to him. She was the one who called him…

His train of thought derailed. If the Cullens had done something to Jacob, the last thing he would expect them to do would be to call him asking for the pack's help. It was the perfect cover.

Sam began running at full speed toward the Clearwater residence. He had to talk to Leah.

* * *


	25. Chapter 23 I Saw Her Standing There

* * *

Chapter Twenty Three – I Saw Her Standing There

**Flashback. Four Days ago. Forks, Washington State**

"Femke" Alavaro hissed tapping his wristwatch. He realized she and Egan were lost without each other, but honestly they'd been on the phone for close to ninety minutes now talking about nothing.

Femke glared at him in response and continued her conversation. Alavaro was about to open his mouth again when he heard her making kissing sounds into the receiver. He just shook his head. After three decades together you'd think they'd be past this stage.

"Let's go slaughter some Lycan" Femke said with a devious smile as she tucked her phone into her pocket. They crossed the reservation headed in the direction of Jacob's house. When they were about a mile away, Alavaro stopped suddenly exhaling hard.

"What's wrong? " Femke looked at him.

"You don't smell that?" Alavaro replied with a scowl.

Femke immediately tested the air. Alavaro watched as one side of her face curled into a smirk.

"I know what you're thinking." He growled at her. "DON'T say it"

Femke was about to burst at the seams, but she managed to contain her laughter for the moment. This sort of thing would only happen to him. They traveled the last mile at a quick pace. She could tell he just wanted to get this over with as fast as possible. He had his blade out the last half mile.

The closer they got to Jacob's garage the stronger both scents became. The loud banging coming from the garage was unmistakable, Jacob was inside. It wouldn't be long now. Femke sensed Alavaro's discomfort as he charged forward. They were about ten yards away from the entrance when SHE came around the corner and stood at the doorway.

"FOTTERE!" Alavaro screamed. That was only the beginning of a stream of swearing in Italian. It went unheard as he and Femke were still cloaked. "Why the HELL is that BITCH here?" He finished in English turning sharply and clenching his blade in frustration.

"Bitch?" Femke batted her eyelashes at him. "I thought she was your _lover"_

"She has NEVER been in my bed." He spat back with nothing but hate and disgust.

"Perhaps if she had been you wouldn't be so sexually frustrated, my dear friend." Femke enjoyed twisting the knife.

"I would rather spend eternity celebate" Alavaro snorted.

"Certainly she's not _that_ bad" Femke commented.

"Enough" He pressed his hand over her mouth to silence her. "Do something useful and check her status"

Femke reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She dialed The Society and entered her pass codes.

"Yes, Femke. How can we assist you?" The voice on the other end inquired.

"I need a status check" Femke grumbled in German. "Samia Davenport"

"Samia Davenport is currently registered as Stand By" the voice replied. "Is there anything else we can assist you with?"

"No" Femke said disconnecting the call.

"She just went inside with her APEX." Alavaro whispered. "I think she's going to transport him."

"Someone else must want him more than we do." Femke frowned. "Mia's on Stand By"

"Private Contract" Alavaro sighed. "She only takes them from her coven and Harper. I think we can safely assume the Lycan Nation wants Jacob."

"Why would they want him?" Femke asked. That made no sense at all.

"Don't know. Don't care." Alavaro replied.

"She's probably taking him to the Compound. Maybe you could call her and …." Femke's voice trailed off as she saw the horrified way Alavaro was looking at her. He'd never call Mia even if his life depended on it. Femke hadn't spoken to Mia in some time, but she was fairly certain the feeling was mutual. She didn't understand why Alavaro had severed their bond in the first place. The Ancients intended the blades to be used in pairs. Mia held the sister blade to his own, just like she and Egan held brother blades. When used together the power between the blades had no limits. He was intelligent enough to know that, just too foolish to admit he was wrong._ MEN. _

"I suppose it's time to revise the master plan" Femke said as she tapped the tips of her fingers together.

********

Sam felt a little out of place as he knocked on the door of the Clearwater home. A few years ago this was where he spent most of his time. Now he felt like an unwelcome stranger.

"Sam?" Leah's mom was clearly in shock to see him standing at the front door.

"Is Leah home?" He asked shyly. This was even more uncomfortable than he expected.

"She said she was going to talk to you." Mrs. Clearwater looked at Sam uncertainly.

"We did talk, but there's something else I need to tell her." Sam nervously tapped his foot on the step.

"She hasn't come back yet, but you're more than welcome to come inside and wait. Seth is playing some new video game. I'm sure he wouldn't mind some company. I know he gets tired of dealing with two women everyday" Sue smiled at him.

"Thank you" Sam smiled back and stepped inside.

"You remember where his room is" Sue asked as she closed the door behind him.

"It hasn't been that long" Sam smiled as he walked down the familiar hallway. He stopped outside the closed bedroom door and knocked.

"Come in" Seth yelled.

"Hey Seth" Sam smiled as he came into the room.

"Sam?" Seth did a double take and with the momentary lapse in concentration lost the game. _Why was Sam Uley here?_

******

"Emmett, XBOX is not a word" Alice scolded as she removed his tiles from the scrabble board.

"The hell it's not" Emmett said as he put his tiles back on the board. "I used two X's and I want my triple word score."

"Emmett if the word isn't in this book you can't use it" Edward said as he held up a copy of the Official Scrabble Player's Dictionary.

"And how did he get a second X?" Bella asked. "Isn't there only supposed to be one?"

Alice flipped the both X tiles over to find that one had an H on the other side. "You little cheater" She said in surprise. _I can't believe I_ _didn't see that coming_. She thought with a frown. Her sight had been letting her down a bit lately.

Emmett smiled and laughed. "Don't tell Rose, ok? I used XBOX to win when we played last night. And for the record, nothing about me is little." Emmett flexed his biceps kissing each one in turn.

The vampires shared a laugh as they sat around the large dining room table at the Cullen's home. Emmett put his tiles down on the board again.

"HBOX?" They all said in unison.

"No. It's HBO Ten. Go ahead. Look it up" Emmett leaned back on his chair and crossed his arms.

The doorbell rang and they all turned toward the sound. An instant later they caught the scent.

"Why do we have a mutt at the door?" Emmett asked Bella.

"I have no idea." She replied. Just because she and Jacob were friends didn't mean she knew everything about the pack at LaPush.

"I'll get it" Nessie screamed as she came flying out of the kitchen. She turned the knob and opened the door wide. "Oh hi" She said disappointed as Leah stood there nervously.

"Where's Edward?" Leah asked as she leaned forward to look inside the house.

Edward hearing his name got up from the table and walked to the front door. Bella and Alice followed close behind while Emmett disappeared upstairs.

"Leah, this is unexpected." Edward began "Why don't you come inside?"

"Actually, I think you should come outside" Leah countered as she backed down the steps making room.

"What's going on?" Bella asked looking back and forth between the two of them.

"It's ok." Edward placed a hand on Bella's shoulder as he passed her on his way out the door.

"Can I ask what this is about?" Edward inquired. He didn't have to glance behind him to know that Bella had just come outside and was only a few yards away.

"As if you don't already know?" Leah crossed her arms over her chest.

"Honestly, I have no idea" Edward replied in confusion.

"Tell me where Jacob is." Leah demanded.

"I don't know where he is" Edward replied.

"Like hell you don't" Leah dropped her arms and stepped forward. She was only about a foot away from Edward. He took a step backward and discreetly stopped breathing. Her smell was just offensive.

Leah stepped even closer to him "Let's not play this game." She growled. "I KNOW you did something to make him leave. Believe me when I tell you I will find out what it was. If ANYTHING happens to him, I will tear you apart starting right there." She dropped her gaze to his groin and growled again for emphasis.

"Leah, I did nothing to Jacob. We are trying to find him just as much as you are. As a matter of fact, Bella and I spent the better part of the day yesterday looking for him." Edward stared her right in the eyes. "And quite frankly, I'm a bit offended that after all this time you still don't trust us."

"I know it was you." Leah hissed. "You better watch your back Cullen, because as soon as I can prove it your little Forks vacation is going to end rather unhappily."

"You shouldn't be wasting your energy on me, you should use it to find Jacob." Edward advised.

Leah glared back at him fighting the urge to phase. He was so guilty she could taste it. But she knew she couldn't do anything until she had evidence.

* * *


	26. Chapter 24 Try Something New

Chapter Twenty Four – Try Something New

Sam's old pick up truck pulled into the Cullen's driveway, just in time to see Edward shut the door behind him and Leah storm down the front walk. _LEAH! _Sam growled to himself. He drove up alongside her and leaned over the passenger seat toward the open window.

"Get in the truck Leah" He said through clenched teeth.

"NO" she spat back.

"Please Leah, just get in the truck" Sam asked as politely as he could. She didn't even bother to answer him, just ran into the woods. _Shit. _Sam cursed to himself. He put the truck in park and looked at the Cullen's house. He was already here, might as well see what kind of damage Leah had just done.

Sam took a moment to clear his mind. He knew he shouldn't be here. He should go back to the reservation and discuss this with the Elders before jeopardizing the Treaty. But he was trying to think like Jacob right now. The Alpha had a bad habit of acting first and thinking later. It always seemed to work for him though. Sam took a deep breath and opened the driver's side door.

****

Skylar sat on the beach surrounded by frolicking children. She'd recruited a few elementary school aged kids to help her build Cinderella's Castle. The two boys were busy digging the moat. She and her new little friend Allison were busy piling sand bricks along the perimeter. The last little girl kept running back and forth to the ocean bringing them more water.

She hadn't had a fun day like this in a long time. It was hard being so far from home. She knew better than to complain to Lashly about it. He'd lived in three different countries and managed to adjust to each almost immediately. He was unsympathetic to her homesickness.

"Who's your favorite Princess?" Skylar asked Allison.

"Princess Cami" Allison smiled. "She's beautiful"

Skylar smiled in return. She meant _Disney_ Princess, not Harper's daughters. "Cami is very pretty." She agreed.

"Who's your favorite Princess?" Allison asked her.

"Cinderella, silly" Skylar reached out and tickled the girl's neck. Allison giggled in response. Skylar felt that familiar lump in her throat. She wanted a baby so much.

*****

"The Rogues, Lashly. Why don't you just recruit from the Princes as well?" Prince Elban laughed heartily at the Team Leader.

"With all due respect, Elban I feel that she is the most qualified of all the legion soldiers" Lashly replied as he cheeks burned with rage. It was difficult to keep his temper in check, but he had to. He knew he was the bigger person in this meeting.

"She's a Rogue and she will stay that way." Prince Elban said smugly as he tapped his pen against the desk.

"Thank you for your time." Lashly said as he got up from the chair and made a hasty exit. As he walked down the hallway thoughts churned in his mind. There was no second choice. He wanted Aislin.

"Yo Lash" A familiar voice called out to him. Lashly turned around to see Nelson following behind him. "Got a minute?"

"Barely. I'm on my way to Ranger Testing" Lashly replied as he paused waiting for Nelson to catch up to him. "What's up?"

"Didn't know if you heard about this yet, but uh" Nelson looked around to see if anyone was listening, "I have something to show you" Nelson pulled his iPhone from his pocket and quickly scrolled down to his e-mail showing the screen to Lashly.

"What's 30 Second Booty Call'?" Lashly asked.

"Your "discreet" affair" Nelson replied as he clicked on the video link. Lashly was shocked as he saw the image of himself naked pounding into Mia that day in the barracks.

"Where did you get this?" Lashly said angrily.

"Cloisonne sent it out to a bunch of us yesterday" Nelson replied.

"How did HE get it?" Lashly snarled. "Jesus Christ, like I don't have enough to deal with today."

"I just thought you should know in case Skylar finds out" Nelson said sympathetically.

"Thanks for watching my back, man." Lashly replied.

"No problem. Oh and on a lighter note – We all think it's pretty hot" Nelson said giving Lashly an elbow to the ribs.

"Yeah, It was pretty hot, hence the 30 seconds" Lashly grinned at the memory. "Actually, let me see that again" He said taking the phone back from Nelson.

*****

"Daddy, did something happen to Jacob?" Nessie asked Edward, her lower lip quivering. Edward looked at Bella before he responded. Bella wrung her hands uneasily as she looked back at him.

"He doesn't love me anymore does he?" Nessie's voice cracked as she began to cry. Edward hastily scooped her up in her arms while Bella smoothed her hair.

"He loves you, of that I am certain" Edward cradled her small frame against him. "He can just be very stubborn sometimes."

"Don't cry, Ness" Bella said kissing her forehead. "We are going to find him, bring him back here and cook him a big dinner, ok?" She wiped the tears from Nessie's eyes with her thumbs and kissed her forehead again.

"You're sure he still loves me?" Nessie sniffed as she rested her head on Edward's shoulder looking down at her mother.

"Of course I'm sure" Bella smiled.

The doorbell rang once again. Alice pulled the curtain back and glanced out the window. Sam Uley paced back and forth along the front step. "It's Sam" Alice said quietly.

"What does he want?" Edward grumbled. Bella opened the front door and invited Sam inside.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Edward asked as he lowered Nessie to the floor.

"I apologize for coming by without calling first." Sam began as he looked around the room at the three vampires surrounding him. "I'm concerned about Jacob"

****

"So no one has reported anything out of the ordinary?" Leah asked the Forest Ranger at National Park.

"Nope" The heavyset man replied as he chewed his lunch. His desk was littered with mass amounts of paper covered by a layer of crumbs and what appeared to be coffee stains. Leah's eyes scanned the small office for any clues that might help her find Jacob.

"What about tracks? Has anyone seen any bear tracks?" She inquired.

"Nope" he said smacking his lips together.

"Thanks. You've been so helpful" Leah said with cynicism as she left the Ranger Station. She went down the driveway and stepped onto the wide trail that led into the park. How far away from the reservation would Jacob go? He couldn't go much further north than the bays. East was the National Park and south was the other reservation. She rubbed her temples with her fingertips. She had to think harder. There must be some critical piece of information she was missing. If she wanted to get away where would she go. Far, far away from here, that's for sure. _Maybe Hawaii. _Palm trees, luaus, crystal blue water, maybe even some hot surfers if she was lucky.

She walked along the wide trail into the park keeping all her senses alert. She knew she wouldn't find much along the main route, so she veered left into the woods. When she was close to 100 yards in she hid behind a tree and began undressing. She could cover more ground in wolf form. Carefully checking to make sure no one was nearby; she phased and began a slow jog through the forest. Her gait was smooth and steady as she agilely navigated through the dense woods. After close to twenty miles of nothing out of the ordinary she began to get discouraged. She made a wide circle and headed back to the tree where she'd left her clothes. _Where the hell are you hiding Jacob? _

* * *

**Thanks to everyone who has stuck with the story. I will be updating again very soon.**


	27. Chapter 25 Twelve Hours to Go

Chapter Twenty Five – Twelve Hours to Go

Skylar sat alone at the dinner table. She stared at the empty chair across from her. Lashly was usually home by now. She picked up her spoon and stirred the chili in the bowl in front of her. She knew she should eat, but she just wasn't hungry. She kept thinking about last night. About what she did to Jacob. She was a horrible, terrible person for just running out of the room like that and then not coming back to clean up after herself. She couldn't look him in the face, it was too humiliating. Maybe she should call out? No. Avoiding work was not the answer. She just had to deal with her emotions in a rational manner. And so she gathered her things and began getting ready for her shift.

An hour later Skylar climbed the stairs to the control room. She'd brought Jacob her own dinner as an apology.

"You're late" Dekka informed her as she stared at the clock.

"My shift doesn't start for 15 minutes!"

"I TOLD Noel I needed to leave early tonight"

"Why didn't you? Crystal could have covered."

"HELLO – Tonight is the concert!"

_The concert. Shit. _That's why Lashly hadn't come home. He was at the concert along with almost everyone else from the compound. Tonight was going to be a very quiet night in the prison. "Sorry. It completely slipped my mind. Go. Enjoy." Skylar said as she removed the clipboard from the hook.

"Don't worry I plan to." Dekka smiled as she swung her bag over her shoulder and rushed toward the door. "And FYI, since you were late, I'm going to be late coming in tomorrow. Have a good night."

"Thanks" Skylar mumbled.

Skylar was just about to begin reading the shift notes when Noel stuck his head in the door. "Skylar, my office ASAP!" She swallowed hard. That didn't sound good. She tossed the clipboard on the desk and went down the hall to Noel's spacious corner office. Cautiously she opened the door and saw him half sitting on his credenza.

"Sit down" he ordered as he walked behind her shutting the door. Skylar could feel the discomfort rising in her stomach. _Please don't fire me._ She thought to herself. Not that she liked her job, but it was the only interaction she had with anyone other than Lashly.

Noel grabbed his NERF basketball and began making shots at the small net that hung on the back of his office door. "Jacob Black is on his final twelve hours right now. Euthanasia will be at sunrise" Noel paused looking at Skylar. "Do you think you can handle this?" He asked.

"Of course I can" Skylar nodded.

"Skylar" Noel said as he retrieved the ball "I noticed you seem to be getting a bit _attached_ to our friend in e-block. Are you sure you can handle this shift?" He shot the ball and it went through the net with a soft swish.

"Yes I can, Noel" Skylar replied with certainty. "And I'm not getting attached to the inmate"

Noel chuckled. "Skylar, you realize everything you do here is monitored in one way or another. I know that you disobeyed my direct order of no communication with Jacob"

Skylar lowered her head and stared at her lap. She'd been caught. He was going to fire her. How was she going to explain that to Lashly, to her family? She silently cursed herself for being so stupid.

"However I found your little exchange quite amusing and so there will be no disciplinary action." Noel went to retrieve the ball.

"Thank you Noel" Skylar said keeping her head down. She breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"In fact you can go down and talk to him tonight if you wish. Just make sure you keep your clothes on this time." Noel smiled as Skylar's face burned. "Oh and speaking of that" He ruffled through some papers on his desk. "I'm declining his request for a conjugal." Noel handed the form to Skylar.

"He requested a conjugal?" Skylar stared down at the paper in amazement. If she'd heard him correctly last night, Jacob had no intention of ever being with anyone other than his little vampire hybrid.

"Actually Isaza requested it. Seems our boy had a bit of an erotic dream last night and a pair of wet pants this morning" Noel laughed. "Here" He handed Skylar a magazine. "He can have this instead. I know she's not a vampire, but she'll have to do."

Skylar looked down at the nude woman on the cover then back up at Noel. "I can't give him this"

"Then I guess he'll just have to use his imagination. Maybe he'll picture your tits. He spent a good bit of time staring at them last night."

Skylar's face flushed. "It wasn't like that."

*****

Kennard sat at his desk reviewing Jacob Black's file. As a trained counselor one of his responsibilities was to speak with the prisoners on e-block during their final hours of life. He did his best to alleviate any anxiety, explain the euthanasia procedure and attempt to answer questions about the afterlife. It was an impossible job, but he'd been doing it for thirty five years now and couldn't imagine himself doing anything else.

The manila folder contained only one page. There was no information on Mr. Black's background just the most basic personal information and a transcript of the trial. Kennard looked around the office thinking the other pages must have fallen out somewhere, but he couldn't find any more information relating to Mr. Black. Perhaps Noel would know if there was any additional information available. Walking down the hall he saw Skylar leaving the Prince's office. She had a magazine clutched tightly against her chest and walked by quickly without even saying hello. Very unusual behavior for her. She'd cancelled her appointment this week too. Before the night was over he'd make a point of discussing that with her.

"Noel, may I have a moment of your time?" Kennard asked the Prince.

"You have _one_ minute. I'm going to be late for the concert" Noel replied.

"Mr. Black's file is incomplete" Kennard open the folder and showed Noel the single page.

"No that's all we know about him" Noel said as he disconnected his laptop.

"How did you find out about his crime?" Kennard asked.

"A Scout came and told The King." Noel said as he zippered his bag closed. "Enjoy your evening, Kennard." He began walking out the door, then spun around suddenly "Oh and one last thing – Keep an eye on Skylar. I think she might try to go in his cell tonight."

"Why would you think that? " Kennard said as he watched Noel's expression.

"I have my reasons" Noel smiled then turned and walked out the door.

****

"Oh my God" Skylar's hand flew to her chest as she read the shift notes. She quickly turned on the monitor and saw Jacob crouched down facing the far corner shuddering. Even with the poor resolution on the screen you could still see the welts all over his back. When Lashly mentioned it was testing day for the Rangers, he neglected to mention that inmates were going to be used as the targets. She flipped through the clipboards for the two inmates in maximum. Her fear was confirmed. All thirty five Rangers had tested on Jacob. Skylar felt absolutely awful. They'd used S.H.A.R.P.S. on him. S.H.A.R.P.S. were similar to paintballs, but contained a chemical compound which caused stinging and swelling at the point of impact. It sounded worse than it really was. All you needed was a good rinse of cold water to make the pain and swelling go away. She scanned through the notes again, no one hosed him down. Who worked today? She scanned the notes again: Dekka and Ackerly. _Assholes. _Skylar growled. She threw the clipboard across the control panel and headed for the supply closet.

****

When Jacob heard the door opening he flinched and covered his head with his arms pulling himself into a ball. He'd had bad days before, but nothing had even come close to what he experienced today. He heard the footsteps and smelled Skylar's familiar odor. He cringed down lower. She was probably going to vomit all over him again.

"Jacob, come here please" She said so sweetly it made him want to scream. "I know you're in some pain right now, but if you let me rinse you off and you'll feel much better."

_SOME pain._ Who was she kidding? This felt like he was being stung by a thousand wasps all at the same time over and over.

"NO" He growled. He was past the point of being cooperative.

"Jacob, please. It will stop the discomfort." Skylar said as nicely as she could. She was trying to help him after all.

'"I'm not coming anywhere near you." He growled from his little corner. "Just leave me alone"

"Fine. Be that way." Skylar snapped. "The pain won't go away until you get washed. So enjoy your evening, Jacob." She began to walking away. "I guess I'll just have to throw out the dinner I brought for you, since you won't come near me" She said pausing at the doorway to wait for his response.

"You brought me food?" Jacob turned his head. He was so hungry. Eating only once a day was killing him.

"Texas style chili and biscuits." Skylar replied keeping her back to him. "My mom's recipe"

Jacob turned all the way around to see her expression but he could only see the back of her yellow sundress. She had a big bucket in each hand with rags hanging over the sides. "Ok" he said reluctantly getting up and moving to the front of the cell. "What do you want me to do?"


	28. Chapter 26 The Cullens

Chapter Twenty Six – The Cullens

Sam had only been at the Cullen's home approximately fifteen minutes when the doorbell rang for the third time that day. _Everything happens in three's _Alice thought to herself as she answered the door. Paul and Jared stood on the steps wearing only shorts and flip flops.

"You're Alyssa, right?" Paul asked the petite vampire standing in front of him.

"It's Alice" Jared hissed covering his mouth and pretending to sneeze.

"Yes, I'm Alice". She smiled in spite of their ignorance, bad smell and horrible fashion sense. They at least attempted to get her name right.

"Is Sam Uley here?" Paul asked.

"Right this way" Alice stepped to the side and gestured to the foyer. No sooner had they stepped inside when Alice saw Jasper and Carlisle pulling up in the driveway. Both vampires looked warily at the beat up vehicles parked in front of the house, then at Alice who could only offer an "I don't know" shrug in response.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sam asked Paul and Jared. He was very surprised that they would set foot near the Cullen residence without permission.

"Emily was worried." Paul replied. "So we told her we'd look for you."

"Jasper and Carlisle are home" Alice announced loudly. "Maybe we should move into the living room" she suggested as she herded them all into the larger space. Carlisle came into the house next followed by Jasper.

"Jaz" Alice called after him, but he shook his head at her and ran up the stairs. She knew he didn't like to be around the pack.

"I don't want to seem like a poor host, but why are you all here?" Carlisle asked the werewolves. They exchanged glances before Sam finally spoke. "Jacob has been M.I.A. for a few days" Then he paused choosing his words very carefully. "There is some concern that he may not have left by his own choice."

"What are you saying exactly?" Carlisle crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Sam.

"We think that Jacob was forced to leave" Sam stated flatly.

"And you think WE did it" Carlisle furrowed his brow, "I can assure you, that no one here harbors any ill will toward Jacob or any other member of your pack. I'm sorry you had to come all this way for nothing." Carlisle extended his arm toward the door showing them the way out. "So gentlemen, if you don't mind"

"Let's go" Sam mumbled to Paul and Jared. They walked in single file out of the room. Alice closed the door behind them and watched as they got into their vehicles. Suddenly her sight came: _Torrential rain, thunder, lightening then darkness. _Then it was gone again.

"Alice" Carlisle interrupted her thoughts. "Have you had any visions that might be connected to Jacob's disappearance?"

"No. Nothing." Alice replied. "But we're going to have a bad storm tonight and lose power"

"Wonderful" Carlisle said with a groan.

*********

Edward sat next to Bella on the plush couch. She could see how furious he was. Sam hadn't said Edward's name like Leah had, but the accusation was obvious.

"Jasper! Emmett!" Carlisle called as he looked critically at Edward. Bella watched as Edward's anger quickly turned to hurt.

"Carlisle" Edward couldn't believe the thoughts running through Carlisle's mind. "I can't believe you think I might have done something to Jacob."

Bella quickly looked and caught Carlisle's frown. "Did you?" Bella asked Edward hesitantly. She wanted to believe that Edward was innocent, but he and Jacob had a bitter fight the day before Jacob disappeared. Not to mention his over-protectiveness of their daughter had reached a disturbing level.

"I cannot believe YOU of all people would ask that" Edward said angrily to her. "If I wanted him dead, he would have been a LONG time ago" He got up quickly and left the room. Bella was his wife. She should be the first one to defend his innocence, not the first to question it. He leapt up the stairs in threes reaching the second floor in seconds. There was a loud bang as he slammed the bedroom door.

Bella hung her head in her hands. She thought once she made her choice this would all be over. There wouldn't be a reason for Jacob and Edward to fight anymore. She knew Jacob would move on, find someone else to love. She never imagined it would be her daughter.

"Bella" Carlisle spoke gently. "Are you alright?"

"Did we miss something?" Emmett asked as he and Jasper came into the living room.

"What are you sensing from Edward?" Carlisle asked Jasper.

"Rage mostly." Then he glanced over at Bella "with a hint of sadness"

"Is this about the mutt?" Emmett asked tiredly, "because I was right in the middle of an online poker tournament"

"SIT" Carlisle ordered Emmett, pointing to the recliner.

"Okay" Emmett said under his breath and took his assigned seat.

"Alice" Carlisle called again.

"Coming" Alice called. She entered the room with Nessie sobbing away in her arms. The little girl had overheard everything.

"Nessie" Carlisle said gently.

"Why does he hate Jacob so much?" she choked. "Why would he want to take him away from me? I love him"

*****

Edward Cullen stood with his back pressed against the bedroom door. There was a hollow thud as he threw his head back in frustration. They KNEW he could hear every thought that went through their minds, yet they did nothing to hide their suspicions. The rivalry between himself and Jacob was common knowledge. Lately, neither of them had been hiding their animosity toward the other. They did however respect the delicate balance between their kinds. In spite of that, Edward knew he was the most logical suspect.

He listened closely to the thoughts of his family downstairs. Carlisle was agitated. He was already planning their hasty departure. Emmett was excited. He and Rose had already talked about moving to Europe. Jasper's mind was full of self-loathing, as usual. Alice was frantically thinking of things to say to soothe Nessie.

Nessie. Her thoughts were the most devastating. Edward wanted to run downstairs, take her in his arms and tell her that he didn't hate Jacob. He would never take him away from her and if she truly loved the beast, he would try his best to be happy for them. But the master of self control held back, because none of those things were true. In fact, he often wondered what would happen to Nessie if she and Jacob were separated. Would the imprint cripple his daughter emotionally? Or would she be able to move on with her life?

He wished he could hear Bella's thoughts. Her mind was still a locked vault, a place to which he would never have access. He was sure she had her own suspicions which were completely unfounded. His insecurity grew as he took time to assess the situation. Jacob's disappearance had bothered her from the beginning. No matter how much she told him otherwise, he knew she still had feelings for Jacob. Maybe not as intense as the love she felt for him, but it hurt to know that Jacob would always have a piece of her heart.

Nessie's thoughts penetrated his mind. _I hate him. I wish he wasn't my father._

Edward looked around the room when his eyes fixated on the window. Escape. He quickly opened the window, dropping down from the second story to the ground below. Without giving a single thought to where he was going, he began running toward the woods.

*****

"Edward just left" Alice broke into the conversation.

"Left the house?" Carlisle said in surprise.

"Where is he going?" Bella asked in a panic hugging Nessie who sat on her lap.

"I just see trees" Alice shrugged. "No destination"

Carlisle scratched the back of his neck uneasily. Running away was not the act of an innocent man.

"I should go after him" Bella stood up with Nessie in her arms. "Which way did he go? She asked Alice.

"No Bella." Carlisle replied. "I will find him. I want everyone to stay here until I return." The front door shut only moments later.

The vampires sat in the living room absorbing what had just happened. Nessie's sniffles were the only sound to be heard.


	29. Chapter 27 Let's Get This Party Started

**For unique19, along with my apologies**

**_GEM_**

* * *

Chapter Twenty Seven – Let's Get This (Search) Party Started

The muddy vehicles pulled into the main section of the reservation then turned in opposite directions. Sam drove his truck toward Quil's house, while Paul and Jared went toward the Clearwater residence. They were rounding up the entire pack. No one was going to rest until Jacob was found.

Emily was barley able to maneuver through her kitchen as the boys poured in through the back door. While she kept more than enough food on hand, she wasn't prepared for this. It had been a long time since the entire pack was under one roof. Well almost the entire pack.

"Where's Leah?" Sam asked loudly. Everyone looked around and shrugged.

"She never came back after you left" Seth answered Sam.

"Emily, can you make some calls and see if someone can track her down?" Sam didn't want to delegate that sort of task to Emily, considering the history between her and Leah. But it was time for everyone to put aside their grievances and work together. Taking a deep breath, Sam slowly exhaled taking charge of the pack.

"I'm sure you are all aware that Jacob hasn't been around the last few days. I, personally, did not think it was anything to be concerned about. However, I spoke with Leah earlier today and based on that conversation I paid a visit to the Cullens."

When he mentioned the vampires, the boys began murmuring amongst themselves. Sam knew that they were questioning his authority to do such a thing, but right now he was the only leader they had. He growled sharply, getting their attention once again. The adrenalin rose inside him. It felt good to be in charge, but he knew he better not get used to it.

"They're not going to admit that they said anything to Jacob to make him leave. So it's up to us to find something that proves they did OR find Jacob himself. That latter option being the better of the two of course. Everyone will be patrolling until we find what we're looking for. It's unlikely they set foot on the reservation, so we'll be focusing outside the border. That means we all have to be extra careful not to be seen." Since the table was covered with food, Sam fastened the map of their territory to the wall. He began by marking the areas to be searched and the teams designated to search them.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Jared asked.

"JACOB!" came the loud response from the pack.

"I MEANT" Jared snapped "evidence-wise so we can prove the Cullens are responsible"

All eyes went to Sam. "Anything that doesn't seem right to you. Most of us will be phased, so just send the image if you're not sure."

****

"Hello, this is Emily" she said tentatively to Sue Clearwater. "I was wondering if Leah was home yet?"

"Emily?" Sue didn't bother hiding her surprise. Sam and now Emily checking on Leah, something must be going on with her daughter.

"I know it's been awhile" Emily let her voice fade. Leah had been one of her closest friends until Sam Uley came into her life.

"Leah left earlier today to meet Sam and she hasn't been home since. Is there something you should be telling me about all this?" Sue said sternly.

"Sam just wanted me to call and see if she was home yet." Emily replied softly.

"Emily." Sue's tone was hard. Like the mother who already knows what you did wrong, but wants to give you the chance to come clean.

"I'm sorry, that's all I know." Emily lied. "Could you please have her call me when she gets home?"

"I'll tell her you called" Sue replied.

****

Leah was driving home from National Park when the first raindrops started to fall. _Figures. _She thought to herself as she turned on the wipers. _Swish SQUEAK_. "Oh God!" She exclaimed turning them off again. She slowed down to the speed limit, trying to keep a clear field of vision in spite of the precipitation.

She turned on the radio to and heard the familiar tune "_It's raining men, hallelujah. It's raining men"_ Angrily she turned it off. Why did everything have to be about Men and Rain here in La Push. The inside of the window began to fog up and Leah reached over the steering wheel to wipe the condensation away with her hand. The water pooled on the inside and outside now, making it incredibly difficult to see.

When the loud thunder roared through the air, Leah jumped in the seat caught off guard. _What a crappy day. _She turned the wipers on again. _Swish SQUEAK Swish SQUEAK. _It was like torture and she still had about thirty miles to go. She turned on the radio again hoping to drown out the squeaking sound. The raining men song was replaced by another vintage classic from the 1980's. At least Cyndi Lauper's_ Girls Just Wanna have Fun _was somewhat bearable. She pressed her foot down hard on the gas, anxious to get home before her mom started to worry.

Leah was flying down the highway about two miles from the turn onto the 101, when suddenly the car jolted and thumped loudly. She slammed on the brakes and came to a screeching halt in the middle of the deserted highway. "Oh My God!" Leah exclaimed to herself. "I just ran over something" She got out of the car leaving the door ajar and dashed toward the front end. Even through the rain she could see the large dent in the grill. She ran behind the car and didn't see anything lying in the road. _Oh my God – what if it's caught under the car? _Leah got down on her hands and knees on the wet asphalt. She pressed her face close to the highway and looked under the car. Nothing.

Confused, she stood up and looked around. There was nothing in sight. No animals or tree branches and thankfully no people. She sniffed the air, but aside from the natural odors there was no sign of life. She walked to the front of the car again and looked at the grill. That wasn't there when she left National Park, she was certain of that. She looked around one more time through the rain before getting back into the car. _That was the strangest thing ever._ She thought to herself as she accelerated down the highway. She was only about ten miles from home, but she cut back on the speeding. No reason to have two accidents. Now how to tell her mom.

****

_RAIN SUCKS! _Quil sent out through the telepathic link as he and Jared loped through a huge mud puddle.

_YOU SUCK!_ Was the reply he received from more than one of his brothers.

_Oh yeah, I'll show you what YOU all can suck!_ Quil shot back with a laugh.

It was then that everyone paused out of habit waiting for Jacob's response. But it didn't come.

_Anyone else miss Jacob? _Embry sent out.

And they did. Much more than they realized.


	30. Chapter 28 The Gift

* * *

Chapter Twenty Eight – The Gift

"Where does it hurt the most?" Skylar asked Jacob as she dipped the rags into the cold water.

He sighed and popped the break away straps on his pants.

"THEY DIDN'T" Skylar gasped. Firing a weapon below the belt was low, especially for the Rangers.

"I got mad and phased" Jacob admitted. "It was a stupid thing to do."

"Why don't you take this and turn around" Skylar handed him a wet rag. "And I'll start on your back"

Jacob took the rag from her and shoved it down the front of his pants. He squeezed it hard draining out the water, allowing it to run over his groin all the way down his legs. He let out a loud moan. _Relief at last._

"See you do feel better" Skylar said in the 'I told you so' voice. "Now turn around" Jacob pulled his hand from his pants and handed it back to Skylar. "uh thanks" Skylar accepted it daintily holding it between her index finger and thumb, dropping it back in the bucket.

"Why are you being nice to me?" Jacob's untrusting eyes stared at her from between the bars.

"I'm not being nice, just humane." She replied keeping in mind that everything she said and did tonight was being monitored.

"I wish everyone here was as _humane_ as you are" Jacob replied turning around and pressing his back against the bars.

"Me too." Skylar added softly. She ran the rag over Jacob's shoulders first. The water dripped from the rag leaving moist trails down his russet skin. His firm muscles flexed under her touch. "Am I hurting you?"

"No. It feels good" He replied dropping his chin to his chest. Skylar bent down dunking the rag back in to the bucket. "Don't stop" Jacob said turning around to look at her.

"I'm not" Skylar replied as she looked up at him "Just wanted to get more water"

"Ok" Jacob said keeping his eyes on her. When she stood up again with a rag in each hand he turned back around. He wanted to trust her, but after today he'd lost faith in everyone.

She caressed his back, gently rinsing each of the sore spots. It was hard not to notice how beautiful he was, even after days of neglect. Skylar knew if she took him home to Houston, he'd get plenty of female attention. Such a shame he had to be in love with a filthy vampire.

Even though the marks were gone, she continued to run her hands along his back. She was trying to find the best words to apologize for her actions the night before. "Sorry I puked on you" just didn't sound right. "You can turn around and I'll wash off your chest" she said as she wet the rags again. Jacob turned around and leaned against the cell, resting his head in between two bars. "Hands on your head please." She reminded him.

"Why do I always have to put my hands on my head?" Jacob asked, even though he'd already done it.

"So I can keep an eye on them" Skylar replied as she began wiping him down. "It's nothing personal. Just protocol"

Jacob shook his head sadly. He would never hurt her. Why did everyone here expect the worst? Maybe because this is a prison filled with criminals. This whole thing was like a bad dream. Loving Nessie wasn't a crime. Why didn't anyone understand that? His stomach growled. Reminding him of something very important.

"So um, when can I have that chili?" Jacob asked.

"As soon as we're done here, I'll heat it up for you" Skylar replied.

Once Jacob declared himself completely pain free, Skylar left with the rags and buckets in hand. She dumped everything in the bathroom, washed up and proceeded to the kitchenette. Kennard was inside heating up his own dinner.

"Smells wonderful" Skylar commented.

"Hope it tastes that way" Kennard smiled at her. "One of the wife's 'new' recipes"

"I'm sure it will be scrumptious" Skylar said as she opened the fridge and removed her own Rubbermaid container. The microwave beeped and Kennard opened the door. He reached inside and removed his plate. "Keep your fingers crossed" He said with a frown. Skylar frowned too. While it smelled wonderful the messy green and gray casserole looked less than appetizing.

Skylar waited until he left the room before she continued. She took off the lid and stirred the chili, put it in the microwave and set the timer. She leaned against the counter, thinking about Jacob Black. Less than twelve hours to live. This was the hardest part of the job. Normally, no one stayed in e-block more than twenty four hours. They were executed immediately. Harper was very efficient in that sense. But Jacob's crime was rare. In fact, Skylar had never heard of such a thing before. Lycans often paired up with humans and while frowned upon, it wasn't punishable by death. Pairing up with a half vampire was just unheard of, at least until now. And on top of all that, she was still a child. But he certainly loved her. That much was clear. Loved her so much he was willing to die for her. Skylar wasn't sure if that was very noble or very foolish. Either way, she wished someone would love her that much.

The buzzer sounded and she took the bowl out and stirred the chili. She stared down into the mixture of meat and beans. Skylar wasn't a hopeless romantic, but Jacob's dedication moved her. She stared at the knife sitting on the counter, then back at the bowl of chili. Jacob deserved a fighting chance. She grabbed the knife and slit her wrist long ways letting her blood pour into the bowl.

****

"Oh god!" Jacob gasped as he choked on the chili.

"What's wrong?" Skylar asked panicked. _Can he taste my blood?_

"It's spicy! Are there peppers or something in here? Holy Crap" He wiped the tears from his eyes.

_Spicy_ Skylar laughed with relief. "It **IS** chili, Jacob. Here have some biscuits" She passed them through the bars. "I'll get you some water, Sissy" She winked at him.

_Sissy._ Jacob sniffed the excess mucus back into his nose. He could still feel the burn. But in spite of that, this was probably the best damn chili he'd ever had. Even better than Emily's. He shoved the fluffy biscuit into his mouth. Skylar was a really nice girl. Too bad everyone back home was imprinted already, well there was still Embry. Jacob shrugged. What were the chances of someone like her wanting to live in the middle of nowhere on an Indian reservation?

***

Skylar was filling a cup with water when Kennard stuck his head in the door.

"So, how was your dinner?" She asked with a smile.

"Quite good. I suppose it's true when they say looks can be deceiving" He replied. "Could you let me know when Mr. Black is through with his meal? I need to conduct the exit interview."

"Sure" Skylar took the cups of water in her hands. She sighed hard. The exit interview. She glanced at the clock less than ten hours left.

* * *


	31. Chapter 29 Falling Down

**For VampXoX:**

**This chapter will answer one of your questions. ****The other answers are coming soon.**

**For Reinbeau:**

**If you think Leah hit a certain individual who has spent most of the story invisible, then you would be correct. The other answer is coming in a few chapters. As for not getting reviews - More people are reading than reviewing and as long as people are reading - I'm happy and will continue to post.**

**To everyone who has reviewed more than once: khetyan, unique19, IndependenceIndividuality and Wolflover29 - I cannot thank you all enough for staying with the story. **

**GEMMA**

* * *

Chapter Twenty Nine – Falling Down

Skylar had taken the bowl and cups back to the kitchen while Jacob rested on the floor with his hands behind his head. It felt like it had been ages since his stomach was this full. The door opened and before he saw who was coming, he caught the scent. _Human_. He rolled overly quickly and got to his feet.

"Good evening, Mr. Black" The older gentleman greeted him with a warm smile. He carried a leather satchel over his shoulder and a folding chair in his arm. "My name is Dr. Martin Kennard, but feel free to call me 'Kennard', everyone else does"

"Hello Kennard" Jacob said with suspicion. _Everyone else here is a werewolf, why would they have a human doctor?_

"If you'll just give me a minute to get my bearings" Kennard said as he slid the satchel from his shoulder and placed it on the floor. He pushed apart the frame of the folding chair and sat it nearly six feet away from the cell. Taking his seat, he opened the satchel and removed a pair of eyeglasses, securing the arms behind his ears. A notebook, pen and manila folder were in his lap when he crossed his ankle over his knee. "Are you ready to begin?" he asked with his head bowed, looking up over his glasses at Jacob.

"Begin what?" Jacob asked clenching at the bars.

"Oh dear" Kennard pushed his glasses up along the bridge of his nose. "You're not familiar with the process are you?"

Jacob shook his head from side to side. This was like being in alternate universe.

Kennard put the pen down and folded his hands in his lap. "Normally you would have been tried in your own territory and sent here for execution. However it seems your trial was conducted by the Royal Family. Only the most serious offenses are given such attention." Kennard pressed his lips together. "I am here as a counselor, to conduct your exit interview and answer any questions you may have pertaining to your execution."

"Éxecution" Jacob whispered, his dinner churned in his stomach.

"That is correct." Kennard replied. "At sunrise your life will be terminated."

"Oh God!" Jacob sank down to the floor. "They can't. I didn't do anything wrong. PLEASE. I have to talk to Harper."

"The King is not in residence at the moment, Mr. Black." Kennard replied as he flipped open the folder. "Now it seems that you will not be subject to the standard execution. King Harper has ordered you to be killed by vampires. Oh goodness." _Vampires._ Kennard squirmed in his seat. Knowing his true place on the food chain always worried the good doctor.

"So vampires are going to kill me? How?" Jacob asked.

"There's no specifics written." Kennard looked at the single page again. "I am very sorry. I should have been more thorough."

"Will I have to fight them?" Jacob asked with a small glimmer of hope. If so, he felt much better about this. Fighting vampires was something he did well.

"Again, my apologies. I cannot say for sure." Kennard closed the folder and looked at Jacob. "I'll see what I can find out for you."

*****

Skylar took a quick glance in the monitor and saw Jacob collapse to the floor. She knew she couldn't watch anymore and so she shut off the screen and turned to face her terminal. She logged onto the computer and checked her e-mail. Hearing from her family always brightened her day. Her smile grew wide when she saw ten new e-mails. She quickly scanned down the list of senders. There were five from her mom, two from her sister, one from her brother, one from her best friend back in Houston and one from Noel. That was really weird. She looked at the subject line, 30 Second Booty Call. "What is this?" Skylar said to herself as she double clicked on it.

Skylar,

I thought you might find this very _interesting._ Noel

"Sure Noel, I love porn" Skylar said sarcastically as she double clicked the attached file.

APPLICATION NOT FOUND. EXE

Skylar groaned. Her stupid computer never worked right. She closed out of the error screen, then tried again with the same result. Shaking her head she deleted Noel's e-mail. It's not like she was missing anything.

She opened the first e-mail from her mom and began to read.

****

Edward Cullen ran through the woods swiftly. He needed to get as far away from their thoughts as he could. The people he loved the most were turning against him. His feet barely touched the ground as he covered mile after mile. The tall trees loomed overhead, blocking the mostly overcast sky. He knew it would probably rain. It always did.

His immortal life flashed before him. He was far from a saint. He'd taken many lives. Killing out of pleasure as well as need. But he'd been able to change. Live a less violent existence. While not as strong as Carlisle, he wasn't as weak as Jasper. He stood the trials of human blood spilled and walked away without incident. Even from Bella's sweet blood which challenged every molecule of control within his body. After everything he'd overcome, to hurt Jacob now – The thought was preposterous.

Suddenly his body snapped backward as though something had thrown him to the ground. He sank into soft moss and looked at his chest. The wire had sliced clear to the bone all the way across. _What the hell?_ He laid there for long moment, collecting himself before standing up slowly, shakily. That was close. Too close. He traced the wound on his chest and closed his eyes.

He walked forward between the trees examining the strong metal, so thin it could barely be seen. Edward looked around nervously. He used this path quite often, so did the rest of the Cullens. His fingers gently touched the wire again. _Was this a trap meant for them? Who would do something like this? The werewolves? _This didn't make any sense. He had to go back home. He had to tell the others.

"Edward!"

He heard Carlisle's familiar voice. Edward didn't read his thoughts. Right now he needed to focus. "Carlisle, over here!" he shouted. "I think you need to see this." Edward ran several feet in Carlisle's direction.

"Carlisle" Alavaro sneered at the name. He quickly removed the wire from between the trees, while the Cullens weren't looking. He was angry at himself. Instead of laughing at the foolish mind reader, he should have killed him when he was flat on his back. A mistake he wouldn't repeat. Under the cover of his cloak, Alavaro skulked away into the forest. He needed to eat.

"Right between these...." Edward trailed off looking from one tree to another. He waved his arm in the arm where the wire had been, but it was gone.

"Are you sure it was these trees?" Carlisle asked.

"I'm positive" Edward ran his hands along the tree trunk. Perplexed, he went to the other tree and checked it as well. "It was here. I know it was. " He turned to Carlisle. "I know what you're thinking and it happened. I SWEAR." Edward's fury rose. " Look at my chest" He pointed to open wound.

"Edward, you need to calm down. Let's go back to the house." Carlisle put his arm around Edward's shoulder.

"Carlisle, I'm not making it up" Edward cried out in anger. "There was a wire between these trees, just a minute ago"

"Edward, we are a family and we will stand by each other no matter what. And with recent events, I think leaving is the best option for us."

"I can fix this. I'll find Jacob" Edward declared.

"It's not just Jacob." Carlisle said softly. "Jasper had an incident today as well"

Edward looked at Carlisle with concern. "Is he alright?"

"No, he's not." The doctor answered tiredly. "We should hurry back"

* * *

**Have a great weekend everyone.**


	32. Chapter 30 Music Soothes

**For kheytan. I didn't mean to keep you in suspense.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty – Music Soothes the Savage Beast

Lashly and his crew made their way through the crowd on the beach. He didn't want to be there. This was too much of a distraction. There was so much that still needed to be done. But he promised the boys a night out over a month ago. He couldn't go back on his word, especially after losing Fisher. They all needed an evening to relax.

"Here man" Coal said handing him a beer. "Check out these fine ladies" Lashly raised an eyebrow at Coal's statement. He was the youngest on the crew and still very driven by his urges. "Hellooooooo there." Coal whistled as he left Lashly's side to follow a pair of girls in bikini tops. The guy was a lot of fun, but also caused a lot of trouble. The team leader smiled to himself, this was going to be one crazy night.

"Yo Lash" Nelson said as he stood by Lashly's side. "Bristol found a sweet spot over by the refreshment tent. You should meet us over there"

"Be there soon" Lashly nodded. He took a sip of the cold beverage as he scanned the crowd. There was so many people, both human and Lycan. Concerts on the beach always drew a large audience. Then he saw her, standing alone under a palm tree. Lashly made a beeline through the crowd.

"Aislin, how have you been?" He smiled as he approached her. Even though Elban had rejected his request, it wouldn't hurt to just talk to her.

"Don't waste your breath, Lashly" Aislin tossed her hair. "The answer is HELL NO"

"Oh come on, Cuz, don't be like that" Lashly moved closer to her. It had been too long since he'd heard the familiar Irish brogue. A wave of nostalgia swept through him.

"Just because we were born in the same territory, doesn't mean we're related." Aislin said haughtily stepping away from him. "Now if you don't mind, I'm meeting someone."

"Just because you're a Rogue, doesn't mean you're better than everyone else" Lashly growled.

"Oh yes it does." Aislin looked at him condescendingly.

"You certainly have changed, and not for the better" Lashly pressed the bottle to his mouth.

"Speaking of change" Aislin laughed "I saw your little video. I feel bad for your wife. Not only are you a cheating husband, you're also pretty crappy in the sack."

Lashly grabbed her by the arm. "Aislin, you better watch your mouth"

"Or what? " Aislin chuckled again. "Face it, Lashly. It's just a matter of time before you get caught. Unless Skylar's as dumb as she looks."

"You of all people, shouldn't be judging anyone on their looks" Lashly shot back glancing at her rather large ass.

"Sticks and stones my thirty second friend." Aislin whooped heartily. "You know, I think they have medication now for premature ejaculation."

She watched delightedly as his face hardened while he tried to think of a comeback. "You know better than to start something you can't finish." She playfully punched his shoulder. "See ya later, _Cuz_" With another toss of her thick curls she flounced away.

Lashly shook his head. She was still the feisty redhead he remembered from his childhood in the village. And she still managed to always get the last word.

He watched as she greeted Elban with a big hug.

The warm flush of humiliation came over him. He should have known the two of them were… involved.

* * *

**Just to offer a bit of clarification: Lashly is of Irish descent. His family moved from a small village in Northern Ireland to Houston, Texas when he was 10: due to the mandatory migration. **

* * *

Edward's fingers raced across the piano as he let the melody consume him. Music changed his consciousness filling the deep void inside him. Right now it was the only thing that helped. Bella sat quietly behind him. She hadn't spoken in hours. No one had. Tchaikovsky was the only sound in the cavernous home. He'd just finished an hour long excerpt from Swan Lake. As he tapped out the first few keys from the Romeo and Juliet Ballet score he closed his eyes letting each note fill him with the energy of peace and love.

"Prokofiev" Bella whispered the composer's name softly.

"Minuet" Edward murmured. The piece he chosen to play was from the Capulet Ball. Romeo and Juliet see each other for the first time, but they were masked and did not know the other's true identity. That's how he felt at this moment, like no one could see the real him. The man who would never endanger his family.

Bella knew the score by heart. She could feel his heart breaking as he played. An "I'm sorry" would mean nothing now. She gently touched his shoulder, letting her hand descend to the bandages Carlisle had wrapped around his chest. Edward tilted his head, until it rested on her arm. It wasn't forgiveness so much as comfort.

"I believe you, Edward."

****

"Jasper, please say something" Alice begged as he stared out the window with a blank expression. She stood behind him with her arms wrapped around his waist. His hand reached for hers slowly. "I love you, Alice"

"Then let me help you" Alice moved beside him, reaching for the buttons on his shirt. "Let me stop the pain" She opened his shirt slowly, planting soft kisses along his collarbone.

"Alice" He lowered his head remorsefully. "I killed someone today"

"We've all killed someone Jaz" She kissed further down his chest.

"I did it in front of Carlisle." Jasper voice cracked.

"He understands how hard it is for us" Alice slid shirt over his shoulders. It hung limply halfway down his back. "He won't be angry." She traced his lines with her fingertips. "Next time I'll go with you."

Jasper hung his head as he cupped the nape of her neck with his hand. "I wanted him so badly, not even you could have stopped me."

"I would have." Alice unfastened his jeans. She slid them down his legs, running her hands along with them. On the way up she moved her hands to the inside of his legs then up along his boxers. Jasper sighed and let his shirt fall to the floor. He stepped out of his pants, scooping Alice into his arms. She clung to him kissing him deeply as she felt the familiar buzz he sent to her. _Love. _She didn't require his empathic reminder of how she felt about him. She'd adore him for the remainder of her immortal life.

He sat on the chaise lounge with Alice in his lap. She was his entire reason for existence. His hands ran along her frame, touching her in all the places she liked. He was trying hard to be attentive but his mind kept slipping away. Picturing the hunter.

Just a few hours earlier Esme and Rose had left for Port Angeles. He'd been playing Scrabble when Carlisle suggested they head out for a quick hunt in National Park. The opportunity to hunt with Carlisle rarely presented itself and so he'd been very excited about the trip.

The small herd of deer was only 50 yards away. They were closing in for the kill, when the poacher fired his shotgun. The deer scattered and Carlisle quickly motioned to fall back. But then the young hunter appeared in view and with one whiff of his scent, Jasper already filled with blood lust, lost all control. Carlisle tried to stop him, but he couldn't. For the first few seconds Jasper relished the sweet taste of human blood. When he saw Carlisle's sad face the guilt overcame him. The man couldn't be saved, so he'd finished him. The once sweet blood now bitter in his mouth.

"Jasper, what's wrong?" Alice ran her fingertips along his pale cheek.

"Guilt" he answered honestly.

"There's no reason to feel that way. Plenty of people cheat on their diets." She winked at him. He smiled weakly.

Alice opened the dresser drawer and removed the small container of warming oil. Spreading a thin layer on her hands she began rubbing her palms together in a circular motion. She straddled over Jasper's lap gripping his erection as she slowly worked the oil into his cold skin.

"Alice" he moaned as she tightened her fist around him. "Let me have you"

She released him and began undressing. Jaspers eyes watched every movement she made with desire. Her clothes dropped to the floor as her nude body descended on top of his. "Jasper" she rubbed the oil into his chest. His mouth rose to meet hers. Their kisses were soft and gentle. This moment was about love.

Alice moaned lightly as she slipped her core over him. They held each other in a tender embrace, feeling the warmth where their bodies fused together.

"Romeo and Juliet" Jasper murmured into her ear as the familiar tune played. Alice's mouth covered his in deep kiss as she lifted her hips from his lap. Jasper caught Alice's tongue with his own while assisting her motion with his hands. Their hips slowly coming apart and back together in a slow tempo. There was no need to rush when you had eternity.

* * *


	33. Chapter 31 Doctor's Orders

Chapter Thirty One – Doctor's Orders

_Nina,_

_I know you're tired of hearing me bitch and moan about how much I hate it here, so I'll save my complaining for mom. There is ONE thing that has happened since I last wrote to you that is utterly disturbing, yet so fascinating I can't stop thinking about it. We have a prisoner here from the exiled territory out in Washington State. He is very handsome and he's a big recessive cocktail. He told me that he and his pack have a telepathic bond! How wild is that! It's how they communicate to each other. No rumbling. In fact, he didn't even know what a rumble was and so I taught him a few phrases. I know. I know. I always manage to find the charity cases. But really, sis if you met him I think you'd like him too. _

"Skylar, may I have a moment of your time?" Kennard asked as he entered the control room.

"Sure. Just let me finish this and I'll be right there" Skylar replied as her fingers flew over the keyboard.

"I'll be in my office"

_I have to go, work stuff. Please pray that I'll be able to come home to visit soon. If not, you HAVE to come here because I miss my big sister!! Give everyone hugs and kisses for me._

_LOVE – SKYE_

Skylar hit the send button then closed out her e-mail. She locked her terminal and left the control room.

The office door was open and so Skylar wandered in and sat down in the chair just across from Kennard. "How is Jacob doing?" she asked.

"He's in denial, which is typical" Kennard replied. "I expect when Cloisonné arrives in the morning with the vampires the gravity of the situation will become apparent. He'll become quite distressed. I anticipate he will react quite violently." Kennard opened a thick folder and flipped the pages of his notepad. "He strikes me as volatile individual"

"Volatile?" Skylar repeated. She hadn't gotten that impression at all.

"He's holding in too much emotion. It's only a matter of time before he rages." Kennard clicked the top of the ballpoint pen.

"Can you blame him? Look at everything he's been through!" Skylar retorted suddenly furious at the injustice of the whole situation.

Kennard gauged her reaction with great interest. Skylar was very calm by nature. Most of their meetings involved hour long crying sessions of how much she missed Houston. While he'd seen her frustrated quite often, this was the first time he'd ever seen her _angry._

"Skylar I'm not passing judgment on Mr. Black. I'm merely trying to give you my analysis of his state of mind." Kennard said with an even tone.

"I'm sorry" Skylar straightened the folds of her sundress. "This has just been a bad week for me"

"How so?" Kennard leaned forward pressing the tip of his pen against his notepad.

"I'm sure you heard about Fisher" She began. Kennard nodded urging her to continue. "And Lashly took it really hard. He's been a little" She paused choosing her words carefully, "_withdrawn_ and I just don't know what I can do to help him." She twisted the fabric of skirt uneasily. "I feel like I don't even know him anymore. Like today for example, I wanted to spend some time with him and he was a little", She paused again, "_abrupt_ with me. I know he has the weight of the world on his shoulders, and I try to be understanding. I really do, but I sometimes feel like he just doesn't care about me. At all."

"Have you told him how you feel?" Kennard asked.

Skylar shook her head no. "He's away so much with the Hunting Team. When he is home I don't want to start a fight."

"Why do you think sharing your feelings would start a fight?" Kennard asked as he jotted down notes.

"Lashly doesn't like to talk about that sort of thing." Skylar cracked her knuckles uneasily. Lashly didn't like to talk about much of anything, at least with her.

"I see"

"Once we have a baby everything will change." Skylar replied

"How have your treatments been going?" Kennard asked as he flipped through the folder. He glanced down at her medical chart.

"Well…: Skylar trailed off.

"I must not have the updated chart. When was your last injection?" He asked.

"I decided to discontinue the treatment." Skylar's hands gripped her knees as she prepared herself for Kennard's reaction.

"You what?" He gasped. "Skylar, you cannot on a whim discontinue medical treatment. You need to wean yourself off the medication slowly; otherwise you could suffer adverse side effects."

"I'm fine. Honest. The treatment wasn't helping anymore" Skylar argued. "The last three times I went the scar tissue hadn't decreased at all. I think the medication was interfering with the regenerative ability. I know my body will heal on its own."

"Of course you will heal on your own. The whole reason you started the treatment was so you could conceive sooner instead of later." Kennard shook his head. "Remember what the specialist told you when they removed the shrapnel, that it could take nearly a decade before the scar tissue dissolved"

Skylar bumped her heels together nervously. The explosion on the train was over four years ago. She been optimistic about the future, assuming her body would have healed by now. She never anticipated this.

"If you want to conceive in the near future, the only other option is having the surgery" Kennard said as he folded his hands on the desk.

"NO. No surgery." Skylar shuddered.

"How does Lashly feel about your decision?" Kennard leaned back in his chair.

"He doesn't need to know about this" Skylar's eyes narrowed.

"With all due respect, I think he does need to know. He is your husband." Kennard replied.

"I'm NOT telling him. EVER. Now if you don't have anything work related to discuss, I have rounds to do" Skylar stood up and smoothed her wrinkled dress.

"We can continue this discussion at another time. I see you are off on Tuesday, shall we set an appointment for the usual time?" Kennard asked as he flipped open his planner.

"Goodnight Kennard" She made her way to the door.

"Before you go, Mr. Black asked to speak with you" Kennard pushed his glasses along the bridge of his of his nose. "Shall I stay in case you need a second code?"

"Why would I need a second code? I'm not going into his cell." She replied scrutinizing Kennard's face for a reaction. _Are they setting me up for something?_

****

The Cullens sat around the large dining room table. The scrabble board had been put away and was replaced with a large shoebox. Each Cullen had a pencil and several small sheets of paper in front of them. Carlisle and Esme had not been able to come to a decision on whether or not staying in Forks was the right thing to do.

"As you all know things here have become more much complicated than in the past" Carlisle addressed his family. "The two situations in question both directly involve the werewolves. They have been our allies thus far and I do not want that to change. I feel that the time has come to relocate. "This time" He looked at Edward and Bella "None of us will be able to return for several decades." Carlisle ran his hand through his hair. "However, Esme disagrees with me. She feels that our alliance with the pack is not in jeopardy and we should remain here. It has also been suggested that we assist them in finding Jacob."

"Esme and I have agreed to let you vote on whether we stay or go. So all in favor of leaving please raise your hand" Carlisle held up his own hand. Emmett, Rose and Jasper joined him.

"Who thinks we should stay?" Esme asked raising her own hand as did Bella, Edward and Nessie.

They all turned to Alice. She sat at the table with a frown on her face.

"Alice, why didn't you vote?" Esme asked her tone soft and motherly.

"I need to think about it" Alice looked over at Jasper. "I'm sorry" She excused herself from the table and went upstairs.

"Does she know something we don't?" Rose crossed her arms over her chest.

"She's thinking about shoes" Edward informed them. Alice clearly didn't want him intruding into her mind.

"Are we leaving this decision up to Alice?" Emmett asked.

Just then a bolt of lightning pierced the sky. Lighting the house up like a sunny day in Florida. There was a pop, and then all the power went out leaving the house in complete darkness.

"Flashlight Tag anyone?" Emmett suggested.

****

_Sleep with one eye open; Gripping your pillow tight; Exit light ; Enter night; Take my hand; Off to Never Never Land _The song lyrics blasted through Jared's mind as he loped through the woods.

_Enough with the Metallica already!_ Paul answered.

_If we have to listen to you at least sing something good_ Seth added his thoughts

_You just do not appreciate good music when you hear it _Jared shot back.

_Everyone back to my house NOW _Sam's voice penetrated the link.

_What's up? _Several voices asked.

_Leah's back. Something strange happened on her way home. I think we need to investigate further. _Sam briefly explained.

_On our way_ The voices replied. The wolves turned and galloped back to the reservation.


	34. Chapter 32 New and Devious Plots

**unique 19 - In addition to football - we now have the MLB pennant games. Sports distract me - my apologies for the delay in updating.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty Two - New and Devious Plots

Alavaro swiped his key card through the lock on the hotel door. The red light turned green, he pushed down on the handle and entered the room. He was greeted by Egan reclined on the bed, watching television with an enormous room service order beside him.

"What happed to you?" Egan asked as he looked at the vampire. Alavaro was soaked from head to toe. His Armani suit was covered in mud. It even looked like he had tire tracks on his pants. "Did you get hit by a bus?" The warlock joked as he changed the channel.

"I think it was a Ford Taurus" Alavaro said coldly as he stripped himself of his suit jacket and began unbuttoning his dress shirt.

"You're serious" Egan sat up and stared at him. "How does a VAMPIRE get hit by a car?"

"I was distracted" Alavaro draped his shirt over the back of the chair. He sat down and began untying his shoes.

"Must have been some distraction. How gorgeous was she?" Egan rolled on his side giving the vampire his full attention.

"Not that kind of distraction." Alavaro removed his Italian leather shoe and set it down next to the chair. He switched legs and began unlacing the other one.

"Was it food related?" Egan knew he was prying now, but he didn't care. This would make wonderful gossip for Femke.

"NO" Alavaro removed his shoe and placed it next to its mate. "I'll be in the shower" He got up and walked into the bathroom.

"Hit by a car" Egan chuckled again. He had to hear the whole story. He began working on a spell to coax the truth out of the vampire.

***

"I'm speechless" Rakeesh said to Na'ahkul who stood beside him.

They'd emptied the unconscious woman's bag and lined the contents along the small dresser in the bedroom. The array of drugs, handguns, knives and other weapons was astounding. There were several small viles of unidentified liquids and solids, passports and currency from at least ten different countries, a cell phone which was encrypted and would not turn on without a code. There was a small jewelry box that contained a wedding ring and a gold chain with a heart charm that had the name 'JASON' in the center, a book that looked like a journal with a some sort of symbol on its cover but all its pages were blank and a Bible. Its inscription read: _To my daughter: Let faith be your salvation. Laurel_

"Who is she?" Na'ahkul asked he flipped through her identification, every piece had a different name, address even the birthdates were all different. He turned to gaze at the body on the bed. They'd cut off chunks of her hair, as it had been singed badly in the fire. Rakeesh had carefully removed her clothing. Much of it was adhered to her skin, and while he tried to his best there were several places on her body where she'd lost the epidermal layer. It had to be painful, but she never moved or made a sound. She still had serious burns all over her body, in addition to an array of lacerations and bruises. For some reason she wasn't healing as fast as a Lycan should.

"I don't know" Rakeesh shook his head. "But I'm beginning to think she may be an assassin."

"Who was her target? The warlock?" Na'ahkul asked.

"As long as it's not you, that's all I care about" The older man replied. "The Rebellion has come too far to be stopped now. We just need a few more territories to support us, and then you, Na'ahkul Sonal will challenge Harper for the throne. And you WILL defeat him"

***

"What got you so distracted old chum?" Egan sat on the edge of the bed just a few feet away from where Alavaro was cleaning his shoes.

"It's not your concern" He replied as he dabbed the white towel along the black leather.

"Tell me how evening went otherwise. Did you see the girl?"

"No. She was inside the entire time." He replied continuing to wipe his shoe.

Egan scowled. He muttered the enchantment under his breath, then with a quick motion reached out to tap the vampire's forehead unlocking his mind. But he and Alavaro had played this game before. Egan's hand was stopped before it even left his lap.

"I never lose twice" Alavaro informed the warlock.

"Well then just tell me what happened" Egan pulled his hand away. "We cannot work together if you insist on withholding critical information"

"The details of my evening are hardly critical information" Alavaro snorted. "Do not expect me to share every second of my day with you the way Femke does."

"What happened to you?" Egan said with a hint of concern. "When we first met you were much more personable – I almost liked you. Since Laurel died … "

Alavaro nearly broke down at the mere mention of her name.

"You want to know what happened. I'll tell you." He shouted. "I practically blew my cover trying to kill one of the Cullens. Then I ate and while I was trying to bury the body, it started pouring so I did a half -assed job. I imagine the local park ranger will stumble upon the corpse in the next few days. AND on top of all that, the Bitch's blade began calling to mine as I was crossing the highway. I stopped to see what was wrong and this crazy driver came out of nowhere doing at least eighty. So I apologize if I'm not as 'personable' as you'd like me to be."

Egan sat back in shock. He wasn't sure which crisis to address. He decided on the most time sensitive issue first. "Why did Mia's blade call yours?"

"She's in stasis. _Again"_ Alavaro grumbled.

"You should go to her." Egan advised. "I can handle this"

"She's with her fellow Lycans. She'll be fine" Alavaro dismissed the suggestion.

"Alavaro, the whole purpose of being paired with another hunter is for protection and companionship. Not to mention the blades are MUCH more powerful in tandem" Egan lectured.

"I do not need her protection NOR her companionship. In fact I am beginning to like solitary life." The vampire countered.

One of these times, she's not going to be fine." Egan scoffed. "and then you'll have only yourself to blame"

"I can live with that."

"If Laurel knew.." The words had barely made it past Egan's tongue when he felt Alavaro's iron grasp around his throat. With a wave of his hand Egan's called both his and Femke's blades. They flew through the air stopping only millimeters away from the vampire. Alavaro released the warlock shoving him roughly against the headboard. He collapsed into the chair sinking his head into his hands.

Egan relieved the blades of their task and they moved through the air back into their sheaths. Keeping an eye on the other hunter he massaged his throat. He remained silent even when he saw the crimson tears drop onto the arm on the chair. The warlock looked away giving Alavaro as much privacy as he could.

The vampire rose from the chair, grabbed his blade and disappeared under the cloak. Egan watched the door open and close as Alavaro left the room. Laurel died over a decade ago. Was it possible he was still in mourning?

***

The wolf pack bounded through the forest trying to keep up with Leah.

_Almost there_. She told them. She didn't have to look to know that Sam was by her side. She tried to keep her thoughts to herself, but it was difficult. She couldn't let them all know how much she missed Jacob.

_We're here. The road is twenty feet that way._ She pointed with her snout.

_Ok let's split up. Seth and Embry, stay here with Leah. _Sam directed the pack. _Jared and Paul you're with me. We're crossing the road to check the other side._

_What about us?_ Quil asked as he Brady and Collin were back at the reservation.

_Just stay close to home. We'll let you know if we need help._ Sam responded. He turned in the direction of the road. Jared and Paul moved behind him in single file. Sam stopped behind a large tree five feet from the highway and phased back to human form. They followed his lead.

"We're streaking ?" Paul asked Sam as the three of them stood at the edge of forest naked.

"Just in case someone sees us." Sam argued. "It's easier to explain nudity than fur." He checked for on-coming cars. There was nothing in sight and so the trio ran across the road, phasing as soon as they were safely in the woods on the other side.

Seth, Embry and Leah spread out covering a few acres worth of land. It wasn't long before Embry let out an _Uh oh_

_What's wrong?_ Several voices asked.

_I think I found a grave_. In spite of the rain, Embry hesitantly began digging at the freshly overturned dirt.

_Please don't let this be Jacob._ He hadn't meant to think that, but he had and they all heard him.


	35. Chapter 33 Actions and Reactions

Chapter Thirty Three – Actions and Reactions

"Are you hungry?" Skylar asked Jacob as she held out a gigantic sugar cookie.

"Kennard said I'm being executed at sunrise. Did you know about that?" He glared at her. Skylar let her arm fall against her leg. "I knew it was coming, I just didn't know when" She said with a sympathetic frown.

"This is INSANE. I didn't even DO anything." Jacob took the sugar cookie from her and sunk his teeth into it. "I want to talk to Harper." He continued as crumbs fell from his mouth.

"He's not here" Skylar nibbled at her own cookie.

"Then who's in charge?" Jacob took another huge bite.

"Noel is the Warden, but he's not here either" Skylar explained.

"Who IS here?" He took a third and final bite of the cookie, while she watched with amusement.

"Just Kennard and I, but he's leaving soon." Skylar noticed his eyes beginning to change color. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah." Jacob laughed. "I feel great. Must be from having a home cooked meal." He rubbed his stomach. "Tell your mom she could make a fortune selling that chili. Best I've ever eaten."

"I will. She'll love hearing that."

* * *

"Look at our boy go" Nelson laughed. They watched from a distance as Coal grinded against a cute girl. The rhythm of the steel drums was hypnotic and sensual. Lashly and Bristol grinned. This was the third girl he'd been with since the concert started.

Lashly scanned the crowd looking for familiar faces. Aislin caught his eye. It was hard to miss her crimson locks in the sea of dark hair. She was talking with another Rogue. He took another sip of his beer. Rogues were second only to royalty in the hierarchy. They were assassins for the Lycan Nation.

When he was a young boy in Ireland, there was a Rogue named Dutch who used to stay in their village quite often. He'd idolized that man and dreamed of growing up to be just like him. But like most childhood fantasies, as he grew older he realized that there was more to rising in the ranks than just being the best. You had to play Harper's game. Lashly conceded enough to be promoted to Team Leader and have his own crew. He wasn't willing to compromise himself any further, even if it meant never fulfilling his dream.

Lashly heard Elban and a few of the Princes laughing nearby. Several of the humans were drunk and staggering around. He smirked to himself wondering what it felt like to be intoxicated. Unlike drugs, he'd never been able to consume enough alcohol to get the human effect. Though he tried many many times.

One of the humans fell over, taking a few others down with him. Lashly laughed out loud along with Bristol and Nelson who had seen it too.

"Humans" Bristol chuckled. "It's amazing their species has survived all these years"

"Come on Bristol, you know if vampires didn't need them for food they'd be extinct by now" Nelson answered.

Lashly opened his mouth to reply, but the sharp rumble caught his attention before he could.

-o-

"Tanner we were just dancing" Lindsey explained as she peeled Coals' arms off her body. She was trying to diffuse the situation as best she could, but they were already challenging each other. Coal pushed her behind his back and got right in Tanner's face. Lindsey let out her own cry for help. They couldn't do this here, not in front of all these humans.

-o-

"Lash" Bristol turned to his leader, but Lashly had already sprung into action. He rumbled loudly calling to his team. Leave it to Coal to fuck up their night. Fighting their way through the crowd while trying to remain inconspicuous was difficult. The Jamaican Patrolman were scattered about keeping a sharp eye out for any disturbances. They had seen the confrontation begin and moved in accordingly.

Lashly rumbled again. He heard the Princes order him to fall back. "Fuck" he cursed to himself. _He_ was the team leader. He should be the one to get Coal under control. Shoving people out of the way he charged through the masses. Bristol and Nelson were on his heels "Lash. Lash" They yelled over the music. But Lashly wasn't going to listen to them or the Princes.

-o-

"Tanner!" Lindsey screamed as he threw the first punch. Coal's head moved with the force of the blow, but he stood his ground. Tanner followed his punch with another and threw himself on Coal. They wrestled on the ground, each one fighting the rage that was building inside them.

Lindsey tried pushing the humans nearby out of the way. Two large men tried to step in and break up the fight. She threw herself in front of them, preventing them from getting closer. One punch from a Lycan would be lethal. They could not risk that kind of exposure. She rumbled frantically and was relieved was to see Elban and Aislin only a few feet away, but right behind them were several Patrolman.

* * *

Jacob and Skylar were sitting on the stone floor facing each other. She generously handed him the last cookie. He broke it in two and handed the larger half back to her.

"Don't tell me you're full" Skylar stretched her legs out and crossed them at the ankles.

"It's the last one, so I figured we'd share it" He bit into his half.

"You can have it all" She smiled at him. "I don't want to get fat."

"Get fat" Jacob laughed. "Is that even possible with our metabolism?"

"You better hope not. Especially the way you eat"

He smiled at her. She was beginning to like making him happy.

"So, can I ask YOU some questions?" Jacob munched on his cookie. "Since last night I answered a bunch of yours."

"Ok" Skylar cocked her head and grinned. "What do you want to know?"

"How did I get here?" Jacob brushed the crumbs from his lap into hand then dumped them into his mouth.

"Harper's bounty hunter brought you in" Skylar answered.

"Bounty Hunter?" Jacob stared at her. "Like Boba Fett"

"She's not nearly as cool as Boba Fett" Skylar replied at his mention of the Star Wars character. "at least in MY opinion"

"SHE?" Jacob gasped. "She's a werewolf too, isn't she?" In his mind he pictured the hiking boots he'd seen from underneath his Rabbit.

"She's only half Lycan" Skylar informed him.

"What do you mean half Lycan?" Jacob leaned forward suddenly very interested in learning more about his captor.

"It means one of her parents was Lycan the other one wasn't" Skylar looked at Jacob strangely. _What else would I mean?_

"If she's part human, can she still phase?"

"From what I understand, she can change form but not nearly as easily as we can. In fact, she's so bad at it she hasn't done it in years. At least, that's the rumor." Skylar smirked. Mia had more faults than the great state of California. "And her other half is magic, not human."

"Magic? You mean like Harry Potter?"

"Well, she doesn't carry a wand around and I've never seen her play Quidditch." Skylar laughed. "The only power I know she has is teleportation"

"what?"

"Teleportation" Skylar repeated. "It's how she brought you here" Seeing the confused expression on his face she continued. "How did you think you got from Washington to Jamaica?"

"I'm in Jamaica?" He said in shock.

"Where did you think you were?" Skylar asked curiously.

Jacob shrugged. He didn't remember much after that moment in his garage. He didn't recall having traveled at all. He figured he was somewhere close to home. "Seattle maybe?"

"Seattle. Seriously?" Skylar asked. Every Lycan knew Harper's compound was on the west side of Jamaica. Hell, even the vampires knew it.

* * *

Aislin rumbled to Elban. The Prince turned sharply and intercepted the Patrolman.

"Help" Lindsey pleaded to the Rogue as she fought to keep the curious humans from getting too close. Aislin kept her fists clenched, attempting to hide the small syringes of BLUE. She could only hope the small dose would be enough to keep the idiots from a Public Display. PD's were a serious crime, especially in a crowded situation such as this. If Harper found out, they'd both end up in E-block.

The males wrestled with each other tumbling around sending streams of sand flying everywhere. Aislin raced over and kicked one of them in the skull, when his head snapped back she jammed him in the throat with the needle depressing the plunger fully. She was an expert at this. To the casual observer it would look like a simple punch. Tanner grunted and grabbed her wrist. She dropped down placing her knee in the fork between the other male's legs. She was about to inject him when Lashly appeared out of nowhere and knocked her into the sand.

"Coal" Lashly knelt over the man who was curled up holding his groin. "You alright?"

"fucking cunt" was all Coal could manage to say as he doubled over even further.

Lashly fisted a handful of Aislin's thick curls and pulled her to her feet. "You fight dirty now" He growled at her.

"There are worse things" she sneered in a low voice as her eyes darted to the crowd of humans.

"I think you should apologize" He tightened his grip on her hair. "Or else"

"_You're_ threatening me?" Aislin's eyes focused on his "because that would be a mistake"

"I think you made the mistake tonight" Lashly curled his lip exposing a hint of his canines in a bold display of dominance. It was short lived. Aislin plunged the second syringe into his lower abdomen, just inches away from his groin. Lashly loosened his grip on her hair as he reflexively bent forward from the pain. His face now at her level, Aislin assaulted him with three back fists in succession before breaking his nose with her elbow.

There was a loud gasp from the crowd as Lashly sank to his knees while attempting catch his own blood in his hands.

"Aislin, enough" He heard Elban's familiar voice nearby.

The Rogue grabbed Lashly's shoulder and spun him hard. His back hit the ground as Aislin straddled over him. She pulled her lips back revealing her own canines.

"Aislin!" Elban was only a few feet away. He reinforced his order with a strong rumble. But Aislin wasn't done yet. She leaned over until their noses were only inches apart. Her hair hung down masking both of their faces. Lashly felt the familiar wetness of her drool pour down over his mouth. While he refused to rumble submission for this childish display of dominance, Lashly knew he was beaten at least for tonight. God damn her! Why did he always let her get the better of him?

* * *

"So you believe in werewolves and vampires, but not teleportation?" Skylar was laughing out loud.

"Come on, Skylar. You don't think moving from one place to another instantly is a bit far fetched?" Jacob countered.

"Not at all." Skylar paused. "In fact I'm almost positive someone teleported me one time."

"Seriously?" Jacob eyes narrowed. "Tell me what happened."

"I don't remember exactly. I was unconscious. When I woke up I was in some lady's garage, blocks away from where I should have been and I couldn't stop throwing up."

"You don't think someone could have just moved you?" Jacob inquired.

"That's what they keep telling me." Skylar looked down into her lap. "I guess I'll never know for sure. But that's fine. I don't want to know. I'm not a big fan of magic."

"Alright" Jacob sensed her discomfort on the subject. "enough with the sci-fi questions. Tell me about you."

"You want to know about me?" Skylar was shocked.

"Yeah. I'm a little curious what you do when you're not here." Jacob smiled.

"Not much" Skylar replied sadly. "My husband is hardly ever around so I spend most of my free time alone. I read a lot, e-mail my family back in Houston. My life isn't very interesting. Sorry."

"You're married." Jacob repeated. _Too bad for Embry._

"Almost a year now. His name is Lashly. We know each other from back home in Houston. He's away with his hunting crew a lot, so we don't see much of each other."

"What does a hunting crew do?" Jacob leaned forward. He wanted to learn as much as he could.

"When vampires nest too close to one of our territories, the hunting teams will go there and kill them. I know your territory feels differently, but Harper has a zero tolerance policy on vampires."

"I think there's been a misunderstanding along the way. My pack doesn't like vampires either. In fact, we've killed a whole bunch of them."

"But I thought you had a Peace Treaty…"

"The Treaty is with a handful of very specific individuals only." Jacob informed her.

"The way you were talking last night about your vampire friends. I got the impression you sat around holding hands and singing Kumbaya together."

Jacob couldn't help laughing at the mental image of that scenario. "It's not like that at all"

* * *

Elban rumbled angrily and Aislin finally got up from Lashly's chest. "And you thought I would actually work for you." She shook her head at him. In one last petty gesture, she kicked sand in his face as she walked away. Lashly sat up brushing the sand from his face. The pain in his nose hadn't stopped but at least the bleeding had.

Bristol was helping Coal to his feet as Nelson offered Lashly his hand. Once the team leader was standing again, his second in command whispered nastily in his ear. "Work for you? Is that why you went to see Elban? Are you trying to recruit Aislin?"

"Nelson, I was going to tell you" Lashly replied. He hadn't wanted for them to find out this way.

"I have had YOUR back since day 1 and THIS is how you treat me. Fuck You Lashly" Nelson stormed off angrily.

The other members of Lashly's team were frozen in place staring at him. He stood there uneasily knowing there was a very good chance he'd just lost the loyalty of his own Team. He never thought it was possible to hate someone as much as he hated Aislin right now.

Cloisonne grabbed his arm and growled at him. "You and your team Barracks NOW." He had no choice but to obey. Pissing off his boss was not the best idea considering the circumstances. As he walked away from the crowd, he heard Noel rumbling at the other guy and girl involved in the conflict. Elban was busily bribing the Jamaican Patrolmen. Lashly lowered his head and followed Cloisonne, his team falling in step behind him.

* * *

Kennard had his satchel over his shoulder, getting ready to call it a night. He planned on just letting Skylar know he was leaving. He stood in the control room staring at the monitor.

Skylar had her arm stuck through the bars of the cell where Jacob wrapped his hand around hers. "One, Two, Three, Four I declare a thumb war" They yelled at each other, then began twisting their bodies, their arms going up and down. "Got Ya!" Jacob announced. "You Cheated!" Skylar laughed "Your thumbs are nineteen times longer than mine"

In all his years on the compound, Kennard had NEVER seen a prisoner on e-block laughing and joking around just hours before their execution. And almost as strange was the always sullen Skylar suddenly just as giddy. Kennard sat at the terminal just in front of the monitor. He took a pen and a clean notepad from his satchel. This was worth losing a few hours sleep.


	36. Chapters 34 and 35

**Thank you to all who have kept reading and have taken the time to review.**

**As for the story: Everything begins unraveling right about now....**

* * *

Chapter Thirty Four – Cadaver Dogs

Embry's sharp claws easily tore through the mud, but the torrential rain worked against him. The mud slid back into place almost as fast as he was moving it. Leah and Seth were by his side pacing frantically. None of them wanted to discover what inhabited the grave, but they knew they had to.

Sam, Jared and Paul joined them only moments later. It was Sam who would knock Embry out of the way digging frantically splaying mud between his hind legs. Jared would join him on the opposite side throwing the saturated earth everywhere as they both worked feverishly to uncover the gravesite.

_What's taking so long? _Leah thought impatiently.

_It's raining too hard. Maybe we should wait… _The thought ran through Jared's mind.

_A grave. A God damn grave. __Shit man. _Embry paced nervously.

_It's a body. It has to be. What else would you bury? _Paul watched warily as Sam and Jared finally began making progress.

_LEAH – get Seth out of here – NOW! _Sam penetrated the link with his Alpha telepathy.

Then they all saw it. A tangled web of short dark hair covered in thick brown slime.

_Is it...?._ They were all thinking the same thing, but no one wanted to say his name.

_LEAH –NOW! _Sam ordered again.

_Come on Seth. _Leah nudged her brother and they turned down the trail that led home.

_BUT…_ Seth let the thought escape.

_GO! _Sam ordered with such force it made Seth's head throb.

Leah and her brother picked up the pace and began running down the trail.

Jared moved closer and sniffed the body. _HUMAN._ There was a giant sigh of relief among the pack.

_Paul, phase back. _Sam ordered. _I want you to help me pull it out._

_You want me to TOUCH it._ Paul twitched uneasily.

_Sam I think we should leave it alone. _Embry said. _I think we should call the police._

_And tell them what, Embry? That we were out in thunderstorm, found a grave and decided to see what was buried._ Sam replied.

_I think Embry's right, Sam. _Paul added._ On CSI they never touch the body. _

_This is not CSI, Paul. _Sam answered. But he was beginning to second guess himself once again.

_Right now it looks like wild animals got to it. We could walk away now and no one would ever know. _Jared commented.

Sam snorted. Maybe they were right. It wasn't Jacob, so there really was no reason to disturb the body further. But there was something about this whole situation that didn't sit well with him.

****

Quil burst into the back door of Sam's house where Emily, Collin and Brady were sitting in the kitchen. The room was lit by several small candles scattered throughout the house.

"Sam wants us to stay close to home." Quil announced as he wiped his feet on the mat.

"Did they find anything yet?" Emily asked as she handed him a towel and a pair of shorts.

"I don't think so. I'll go back out in a little bit and check in." He slid the shorts on and dried off his body. "Power went out huh?"

"Yes." Emily replied. "Who knows when it will come back on? The reservation always seems to be an after thought when it comes to the electric company."

"Don't you guys have a generator?" Brady asked. "We have one at home."

Emily shrugged. "We gave ours to the neighbors over the winter and never replaced it."

There was a flash of lightening immediately followed by booming thunder.

"Wow. The storm's right on top of us." Collin noted.

_CRACK. _

_CRASH._

"What was that?" Emily asked nervously. They ran to the windows and looked outside. Nothing looked out of place.

"Let's go check it out" Quil suggested to Brady and Collin.

"Be Careful" Emily told them as they wandered out into the storm.

*****

"Dig" Sam told Jared and Embry as he and Paul tried to grasp the body. They managed to enlarge the hole and were now trying to remove the body. "Paul on three. Ready. One. Two. Three." The two strong men tugged on dead man's arms. The body was starting to come unearthed, when Sam's bare feet began slipping on the wet ground. Paul was losing his grip on the man's wet skin. With a grunt they let they body drop back into the soil.

"Keep digging" Sam told them. "Paul, let's try again."

It took five tries before they managed to pull the man free from the depths of the grave. The four of them, all in human form stood over the corpse looking for the cause of the death. There was no visible trauma. No gunshot wounds, no stab wounds. There wasn't even any blood on his clothes.

"I'm no forensic scientist, but this looks very suspicious" Jared ran his hands through his hair.

"I told you we should have just called the police" Embry said.

"What do we do now, Sam?" Paul said angrily. "Our fingerprints are all over him"

"Just give me a minute to think, alright?"

Sam turned his back to them, racking his brain for an answer. A body buried in the middle of the woods with no obvious cause of death. The Alpha turned back to his brothers, "Check his neck"

"Why?" Jared looked at Sam. Then he understood.

Paul unbuttoned the collar of the man's polo shirt and pulled it away from his skin. And there it was. A single bite mark.

"Vampires" Embry whispered.

_LEAH!_ Sam's voice penetrated her mind.

_WHAT! _She shot back.

_Go to my house and get my truck. Meet us back at the grave._

_Why? What's going on?_

_I think we found our evidence._

* * *

Chapter Thirty Five - Things that go Bump in the night

"Uncle Emmett" Nessie whispered as she crept through the pitch black garage. "I know you're in here" She held the flashlight in her small hand, ready to turn it on and 'tag' him the second he moved. She slowly made her way around the side of his Jeep.

"BOO!" Emmett dropped down from the ceiling and gently tackled her knocking the flashlight out of her hands. Nessie squealed with laughter as she struggled to free her arm and grab the flashlight. There was a sharp crack of lightening and they both stopped for a moment. Nessie recovered quickly snatching the flashlight and shining it right in Emmett's face. "TAG! You're it" She announced delightedly.

"Now you're in trouble little girl" Emmett let out an evil laugh as he took the flashlight. Nessie laughed along and ran out of the garage looking for a place to hide.

-o-

Upstairs Alice sat alone in her bedroom. She was trying hard to think, while at the same time trying to block Edward from reading her mind. She didn't understand the vision she had. She saw _something_ but at the same time she didn't see anything. It made no sense at all. But the feeling it gave her made perfect sense. It was coming. Only she didn't know who, what or when. Deciding whether to leave or stay was hard. If they left, she knew whatever it was would it follow them. If they stayed it would be much easier to fight if they had a home field advantage.

She closed her eyes again and pictured the image. It had been watching them. The visions came from its perspective. She'd seen it watching Edward and Bella. She'd even seen it watching her. "Seer" It had called her. But the scariest part of the premonition was when it had seen Nessie. The dark voice had muttered just one word 'Oska' and that word sent chills down her spine. In all the years she'd been able to see the future no other threat had ever felt this powerful, not even the Volturi.

***

The butterfly danced on the wall of the Cullen's living room, until the alligator swallowed it with one giant gulp. Bella curled up against Edward as they sat on the couch watching Esme and Rose have a shadow puppet war. In spite of their attempt at keeping everyone's spirits up, Bella was very concerned about Alice. She'd tried to talk with her earlier and Alice had kindly, but firmly asked for some privacy. Aside from Edward, Alice was the one she felt closest to and it hurt a little that her friend was acting distant.

Bella glanced over to the kitchen where Carlisle and Jasper were talking quietly. She could tell by Jasper's expression that no matter how much they tried to console him, it was all in vain. Only time, if anything, could heal Jasper. Though she didn't understand, Bella sympathized with him. She was able to control herself remarkably well from the very moment she was turned. Edward and Alice had both told her how difficult it was for them to overcome the bloodlust. She was very thankful not to have that burden.

***

Alavaro sat in the stairwell of the hotel angry at himself for letting his emotions out in front of Egan. But today was her birthday, and not just any birthday. She would have been fifty. Insignificant by vampire standards, but it was a human milestone. There would have been a huge celebration with food and guests and presents. He knew that's why he made so many mistakes today. It was hard to stop thinking about her.

A smile crossed his lips as he remembered Laurel's sixteenth birthday. Instead of celebrating, they spent the night killing zombies in a cemetery. He could still picture the sullen look on her face as she sat on the crypt covered in their slime. "Another wonderful birthday" she muttered as she cleaned her blade. He apologized for spoiling her day and did his best to explain how after a few centuries, vampires don't get excited by birthdays. They would talk for a long while. It was good intelligent conversation, unlike the drabble he'd been putting up with from Femke and Egan lately.

It was that night he realized how different she was from all the others in her line. They'd only been together a few months, but he never felt so connected to another hunter. They kissed for the first time in that cemetery. If he concentrated hard enough, he could still feel her tender warm lips on his.

He reached inside his suit jacket and took the small planner from the inner pocket. He kept very few photographs with him and hers was one of them. She smiled at him, her expression frozen in time. Her golden curls framed her heart shaped face perfectly. The deep sapphire blue eyes that spoke volumes with just a simple glance.

"Happy Birthday Laurel" Alavaro whispered.

Egan had teleported into the stairwell just in time to hear those words. He felt guilty for not remembering the significance of today. Laurel had been his friend as well.

"Yes, Egan" Alavaro clenched his teeth as he sensed the warlock's presence.

"I think it would be best if we completed our mission tonight."

"I agree." Alavaro replied. "But there is one thing we need to do first"

*****

"Nessie what are you doing?" Edward asked his daughter as she ducked behind various pieces of furniture.

"Finding a place to hide from Uncle Emmett" she told her father.

He could hear Emmett counting loudly from the garage. "Forty-seven. Forty-eight."

"I have to go!" Nessie exclaimed as she tore up the stairs to the second floor.

Edward watched her curiously. She seemed to be coping with the loss of Jacob much better than he expected.

Nessie stood at the top of the steps looking for the perfect hiding place. Her room – nah, too obvious. Her parents room – nah. Emmett and Rose's room – Yes! She dashed down the hallway, ducking into their room and closing the door behind her. Quickly looking around the room she opened the enormous closet and stepped inside. She buried herself under a pile of Emmett's clothes hoping to cover her own scent with his.

Nessie forced herself to stay still and wait to be found. She heard Emmett counting _Ninety nine – One hundred._ He let out another fake evil laugh causing her to giggle again. She covered her mouth with her hands to silence her laughter.

It wasn't long before she heard someone in the room. Cowering down under the pile of clothes she made herself as small as possible. The closet door opened, and she tried to hold still so Emmett wouldn't find her. But then she caught the scent. It wasn't Emmett. She popped out of her hiding place and was greeted by a pair of green eyes glowing in the darkness. Before she could utter a word a hand grabbed her by the shoulder.

After a brief moment of disorientation, she found herself on the floor of a tiny unfamiliar room.

* * *

**I'd love to hear what you think happens next...**


	37. Chapter 36 Destiny

Chapter Thirty Six – Destiny

Mia's eyes slowly fluttered open and the first thing she saw was the white ceiling above her. The pain in her head made her shut her eyes again, hoping to dull the migrane headache. As she moved her forearm to cover her face she was made aware that every cell in her body hurt as well. But she was alive and very thankful for that.

"You're awake", the man lying next to her spoke softly. "How do you feel?" His soulful chocolate eyes washed over her with concern.

Mia turned her head shocked that someone was next to her. Her gaze washed over the man, and she couldn't help noticing his every feature from his thick velvety eyelashes to his creamy mocha colored skin. His thin muscular build was enhanced by the fitted shirt he wore.

"You were in the alley last night", Mia whispered as she recognized him as the Lycan she'd seen just before she went into the house with Thiago. She wanted to say more, but held back for the moment due to the discomfort of her parched throat.

"That was a few nights ago." He ran his hand tenderly over her forehead combing through her hair with his fingers. "You've been unconscious for some time now."

"What happened?" Mia asked as she took a moment to gauge her surroundings. She was in a bedroom with two exits, a door and a window. Faint sunlight filtered through the blinds and she knew it instinctively it was sunset. Another glance around revealed they were alone in the room, but there were other Lycans nearby. She also noticed that the contents of her bag were spread out along the dresser.

"I was hoping you could tell me", he smiled at her. "I went back to check on you and the entire house was on fire."

"You went through my things."

"Yes I did." He combed through her hair again. "And you are a very mysterious woman. I was hoping you might answer a few questions for me."

"Such as?" Mia's eyebrows raised.

"Your name." His voice was oddly comforting. Mia knew she should keep her mouth shut and get the hell out of this situation. But there was something about him that put her at ease.

"I'm Samia" She found herself unwisely telling him her real name.

"Samia" he repeated.

"And you are?"

"My name is Na'ahkul" , he smiled warmly and extended his hand. "it's a pleasure to meet you."

***

"Full house" Skylar set the cards down so Jacob could see them. He smiled as he put down his own hand. "A pair of fives", Skylar snorted and took the entire pile of peanuts that sat in front of her.

"Where did you learn to play cards like that?" He asked

"I was born playing Texas Hold 'em" Skylar replied watching as he grinned back at her. Jacob certainly had a great smile. "In all honesty, I'm a bit accident prone." She confessed. "When I'm laid up I need something to do that doesn't involve much physical activity. So I play cards."

"So you're a clutz." Jacob smiled again. "My best friend used to be so clumsy. I mean that girl couldn't walk ten steps without tripping over something. You should have seen her try to ride a dirt bike" He started laughing at the memory.

"I said accident prone, not clumsy" Skylar threw a handful of peanuts at him making him laugh even harder.

"So clumsy isn't the politically correct term?" Jacob picked up the stray peanuts and began flinging them back at her.

"I'm talking real accidents" Skylar easily dodged the nuts. "Planes, trains, cars. boats."

"Well I guess I know who NOT to travel with" Jacob teased her.

"HA. HA" Skylar handed him the bowl filled with peanuts. "You should eat. It will help you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow" Jacob replied as he happily accepted the food. "Is there anyway to get a re-trial or something?"

****

"So tell me Samia, how did you acquire a bounty hunter's blade?" Na'ahkul asked as he rubbed the salve over the burns on her bare back.

"I inherited it." Mia replied as she silently cursed herself for not thinking of a cover story. She let herself get too distracted by the way his hands ran over her skin. It was almost as if he'd done this before.

"So the blade is _yours?_" Na'ahkul moved in front of her until they were eye to eye. "But how can that be? The Lycan blades are held by Thomas and Josette. Has something happened to one of them?"

"As far as I know they are both fine." Mia replied hesitantly fully aware where this conversation was going. Na'ahkul was only inches away from her waiting for her to continue. There were a million reasons why she shouldn't say anything more. She knew better than to compromise her identity to someone she barely knew. She knew better than to tell anyone, especially another Lycan what she was.

"You aren't Lycan are you?" he asked. It would explain why she wasn't healing properly and why she'd been unconscious for days. But it also didn't make sense. She carried the right scent and she'd rumbled back to him.

"The blade is not a Lycan blade" Mia confessed, wincing inside at the amount of knowledge Na'ahkul was gaining over her. All she knew about him was his name – and there was a good chance it wasn't his real name.

Na'ahkul stared at her in amazement. "Which blade is it?" His heart thudded in his chest as he waited for her answer. She remained silent. Her eyes darted from side to side as though she was planning to escape. He couldn't let her leave now. He had to know.

"You can trust me, Samia." He took her hand in his own. "I realize how that must sound, but it's true. No matter how you answer, you will be safe with me. I swear to it."

Mia stared back at him. They were just words, probably untruths. In her line of work, beings would say just about anything to find out what they wanted to know. Why did she want to believe him? Her mind screamed at her to lie. But there was something stronger than her mind leading her right now. A feeling she couldn't quite explain. It was what a human would call a gut instinct, but it wasn't coming from her human side. It was coming from the Lycan side of her, the side that she fought so hard to repress. She clenched his hand and told him the truth.

"It's a Magic blade"

She waited for him to pull away, say something condescending or threaten to tell Harper. But he did none of those things. He simply stared at her in wonder.

Na'ahkul took a shallow breath. The Magic blade. Could it be true? All the times he and Rakeesh had argued over this possibility. And here she was, living proof that he was right all along. Despite Harpers best attempts to distance their species from Magic and to destroy anyone who dared to pollute the bloodline - Hybrids DID exist.

"Rakeesh!" Na'ahkul yelled loudly.

"Please don't tell anyone else" Mia dug her nails into his hand. "PLEASE"

"You can trust him" Na'ahkul told her. "I do. I trust him with my life"

"Na'ahkul, please" Mia begged. "I trusted you. Don't make me regret it."

He smiled sadly at her. As much as he wanted to tell Rakeesh and gloat about his discovery, her trust was more important than his bragging rights. "You will have no regrets"

The old man entered the room. "I see she's finally awake" he said blandly.

"Yes she is" Na'ahkul replied. "Rakeesh, this is Samia." Rakeesh's gaze narrowed as he looked at the woman on the bed.

"Is that so?" Rakeesh's expression remained unchanged as he looked at her. "Then I suppose Samia wouldn't mind answering a few questions for us."

****

Kennard watched the interaction between Skylar and Jacob with professional scrutiny. While he didn't want to make any assumptions about either of them, it was quite clear they were _flirting_ with each other.

"Why?" He asked out loud.

Lashly traveled often, leaving his wife home alone for weeks at a time. Skylar had every opportunity to stray. But she hadn't done anything of the sort. Her loyalty to her husband was admirable, especially since none of the other hunting team wives shared her devotion.

So why now? Why with a prisoner?

Kennard looked at Jacob's file again. It contained no useful information.

He thought back to his conversation with Noel. _Keep an eye on Skylar. I think she might try to go into his cell._ The statement seemed strange at the time. But now he wasn't so sure. He focused on the monitor again. The two of them were sitting there facing each other, laughing at something.

The laughter quieted down and Skylar moved closer to the cell.

"Jacob" she said in a low voice. "Do you believe in destiny?"

****

"I'm not being elusive" Mia defended herself. "I'd just like to know a little about you and Na'ahkul. I think it's only fair. You can't expect someone to just blurt out their life story to a stranger." She told the old man acutely.

"Even a stranger who saved their life?" Rakeesh countered.

"Yes." Her voice was cold. The connection she felt with Na'ahkul she not feel with this man, and she wasn't going to tell him anything.

"Alright, Samia what would you like to know?" Na'ahkul asked as he sat cross legged on the bed facing her. As he leaned back on his hands his shirt came open at the top exposing a modest amount of chest hair in addition to a well defined pectoral region.

Mia struggled not to stare. She forced her eyes upward to his face. "What were you doing with a warlock?" she asked him.

"I had something to discuss with him." He answered vaguely. Mia caught the slight waiver of his upper lip. He was lying..

"Are you thirsty?" he changed the topic quickly. "Or hungry? Perhaps we could talk more over a meal?"

"What are you hiding?" Mia asked.

"Nothing" He shrugged trying to look away. There was something about her that intrigued him. Something more than just the magic. He knew if he chanced to meet her gaze again, he'd spill every last detail about the Rebellion. So he slid away from her toward the other room and kept his eyes on the floor. He walked quickly to the doorway when she called out to him.

"Na'ahkul"

"Yes" he replied without turning around.

"I could use some clothes"

He smiled to himself. Saving her life hadn't been a mistake like his mentor had thought. In fact it was the best thing that could have happened to him.

****

"Do you believe in destiny?"

It was a simple question. All he had to do was say 'yes' or 'no'. For some reason Jacob couldn't bear to look at her. He had limited experience with girls – er, women. His body was telling him one thing, his heart another and his mind kept swaying back and forth between the two. He felt he was in the old cartoons with and angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other.

If he told her 'yes' what would happen? Would SOMETHING happen? But she was married – and even more important he was imprinted. He couldn't love anyone else except Nessie. But there was no denying the chemical attraction. From the first moment when she touched him it was there. Maybe it was just because they were the same species. But he never felt this way around Leah or either of the other females that he'd seen here. It was just Skylar. And tonight it had gotten especially bad. He knew perfectly well how he'd been acting. He couldn't help it. It was like this unseen force pulling him toward her. And he felt it all the way to his groin. Despite knowing that it was completely wrong to want something more from her, he almost wanted to tell her yes. But that little angel kept him from saying anything. The little voice that whispered Nessie in his ear made him refrain from answering.

No. He had to tell her 'no', even if it meant hurting her feelings. Maybe she would understand. She had a husband after all, so she had to have some idea of what it's like to love someone. To feel completed when you're with them. But didn't he feel that way now. He didn't want her to leave him, especially if she left because she was upset. He didn't want to be all alone in this cell. He wanted her company. But this was all wrong. He had to say no, what other choice did he have?

It would just be one night.

_No. I can't._

He tried to stop the thoughts.

Nessie. Nessie. Nessie.

"Skylar", he spoke her name hesitantly as he summoned the courage to look at her face.

As she tilted her head, a lock of hair fell across her face covering an eye. She reached out and touched her fingertips to his.

"It's ok if you don't", her hand gently brushed over his. The warmth in her touch spread up his arm. "I believe enough for both of us."

* * *

**Thanks to everyone. Your reviews mean the world to me.**

**Gemma**


	38. Chapter 37 CSI Forks, WA

Chapter Thirty Seven –CSI: Forks, Washington

Emily jumped up from her seat to answer the door. She'd been expecting Quil and the boys and was shocked to see Leah Clearwater on the doorstep. Standing behind the open door she gestured for Leah to come inside. Her cousin took a reluctant step over the threshold while Emily closed the door behind her.

"Hi Leah", Emily said as she folded her hands together in front of her. She wasn't sure what to do or say. This was one of those moments that you've thought about a hundred times, always planning the perfect response. Until the moment arrives that is. Then you find yourself lost in the awkwardness with no recourse.

"Sam needs his truck." Leah's hands ran through her long thick hair. She was thoroughly soaked. The rain dripped from her clothes and puddled on the floor of the living room.

"Ok." Emily nodded. "The keys are over here." She headed into the kitchen and opened a drawer. Taking Sam's keychain in her hand she turned toward Leah only find her cousin standing just a few feet away with her face buried in her hands.

"Leah?" Emily said gently. "Are you alright?"

Leah lifted her head and wiped her tears away with angry fist. "No Emily. I'm not alright."

Emily reached out to embrace her but Leah held her arm out, keeping the distance between them. "Don't" Leah said angrily.

"But.." Emily began to reply.

"Just give me the keys." Leah snatched them from her hand. "I'll let myself out."

Emily's body jerked as the door slammed hard. She was close to tears herself. The situation with Leah had just gotten worse with time. But there was nothing Emily could do about it.

****

"See anything yet?" Quil yelled to Brady and Collin.

"Not yet", Brady replied.

The three of them were jogging through the treeline that surrounded Sam Uley's house. The crash sounded very close, but so far they hadn't been able to find the cause.

"Maybe we should just go back to the house and wait for Sam", Collin suggested.

"Fifteen more minutes and…" Quil went silent.

"Holy.." Brady gasped.

"How in the.." Collin's jaw dropped.

A tree had fallen over. Not just any tree, one of the old redwoods that stood over two hundred feet tall. The roots were still in the ground along with a third of its trunk. The top two thirds of its length had come down taking several large evergreens with it. All the debris took up an area close to the size of a football field.

"I can't believe we're seeing this." Quil moved forward slowly climbing over the thick pine branches toward the redwood. Brady and Collin followed behind him.

"It's like a big crop circle." Brady mumbled.

"I don't see any burn marks." Collin replied.

"Knock it off Men In Black," Quil told the pair. "This isn't the work of extra terrestrials."

"Don't be so sure", Collin answered.

Quil rolled his eyes continuing to make his way toward the redwood.

"What's that smell?" Brady asked wrinkling his nose.

"It smells like something is rotting", Collin replied.

"Ugh" Quil caught the scent too. "That is putrid"

They climbed up on the fallen portion of the tree and walked across it single file. Their bare feet gripped the rough wet bark. As they neared the point where the tree had severed from its base the smell became stronger. Brady and Collin pinched their nostrils closed and exchanged a glance.

"I think something DIED", Collin said loudly. He nearly bumped into Quil who had stopped short.

"Hey", Collin poked his back "Keep the line moving"

Quil spun around and grabbed Brady's arm. "We're going back to the house NOW", he ordered with an authority that was very out of character.

"Why?" Collin asked as Quil led him back the way they came.

"We have to get Sam."

****

"Where's Seth?" Jared asked Leah as came running through the forest.

"He's getting our mom." Leah replied.

"Your mom! What's she got to do with this?" Jared tried to keep up with Leah's fast pace.

"We need somebody to examine the body."

Jared and Leah joined Paul, Embry and Sam at the gravesite. The rain hadn't stopped, but it had slowed down considerably.

"How are we going to do this?" Paul asked Sam.

"We'll wrap him up and put him in the bed of the truck, I'll drive him back to the reservation and then we'll go to the Elders." Sam told them. "Unless anyone has a better suggestion"

"I don't think we should move him" Embry shook his head. "I mean this is definitely a vampire bite." He pointed to the mark on the man's neck. "We should call the police and let them handle it."

"And what if the vampire is still hanging around and kills one of them." Paul snapped. "Let Sam take the body back, have the Elders put the Res on lockdown and we patrol until we are certain there are no vampires around."

"What about Jacob?" Leah screamed at him. "We can't stop looking now!"

"Jacob would want us to keep everyone safe" Sam growled at her.

Leah slapped him across the face. "How do YOU know what Jacob would want? I don't think ANY of you should be speaking on his behalf, especially YOU" ,she growled back.

Sam held his arms up in surrender "You think you think you can do a better job as Alpha – go ahead." He backed away. "I'm going back home to patrol. Everybody listen to Leah, she's in charge."

"SAM!" Jared called after him, but Sam had phased and was sprinting back toward the reservation.

"I'm not listening to you." Paul snapped at Leah. "Maybe you don't give a shit about the tribe, but I do."

"I didn't say I didn't care" Leah growled. "Seth, Quil, Brady and Collin are all there. They'll let us know if they find anything."

"Help me with this body, man", Paul said to Jared. The two of them lifted up the body and began carrying it toward the truck.

Leah turned to Embry who was standing there quietly. "What about you?" she snorted. "Are you going to let Jacob down too?"

"Leah", Embry began. "Jacob has been one of my friends since the sandbox. I love him like a brother. I want to look for him, I really do. But we HAVE to protect the reservation. If that vampire kills someone – I'm sorry." He phased and ran down the trail to catch up with Sam.

Leah crumpled to the ground. "What the fuck is happening?" She grabbed chunks of her hair in desperation. Her mind filled with conflicting thoughts, if anything happened to her mom…

"I'm sorry Jacob. I tried." She pushed herself to her feet and ran toward Sam's truck.

***

_SAM! SAM! SAM!_ Quil was phased and screaming in his mind for the Alpha. He paced outside the back door of the Uley residence while Emily, Brady and Collin waited inside.

_SAM!_ He cried out again.

_What's wrong?_ Sam suddenly linked to him.

_You have to come home NOW!_

_What happened? _Sam sensed the overwhelming panic in his brother wolf.

_There's.. There's .. There's. _He couldn't get the words out.

_Is Emily alright?' _Sam's voice was fearful.

_She's fine. But a tree fell and… Just come now – PLEASE_

_Show Me._ Sam demanded. Suddenly his mind was filled with Quil's thoughts. He was looking down onto the ground at a pile of body parts: arms, legs and a head.

_I'm coming_

_Me too. _Embry's voice broke into the link. _Right behind you Sam._

***

Leah opened the driver's side door of the truck. "Move over", she told Jared. "I'm driving."

He slid across the bench seat onto the passenger side without saying a word.

"Paul, are you all set back there?" Leah shouted through the rear sliding window of the truck.

"I guess." He replied looking down at the body wrapped up like a cocoon.

Leah threw the truck into gear and made a U-turn in the middle of the highway. She pressed the gas pedal to the floor and the truck groaned in response. Jared reached up and grabbed the seat belt, buckling himself in – just in case. Leah had already been in one accident tonight.

The road was deserted and they made it back to reservation in recording breaking time. Leah drove straight her house and parked in the back. She saw Seth coming and rolled down the window. "They want you to take it down to the caves."

Leah nodded. "You coming?"

Seth shook his head. "I'm going to start patrolling with Brady."

***

Quil and Embry stood next to each other on the far side of the fallen tree in an attempt to stay out of Sam's way. They were angry, but Sam was absolutely mad with fury. When they'd broken open the hollowed trunk , they found it stuffed with dismembered bodies. There were three heads, and one could only assume that meant three bodies as well. The parts were jumbled like puzzle pieces in a pile and no one wanted the task of putting them together.

Even more disturbing was that they were barely half a mile from Sam's house.

Sam's mind was seething. _This is MY territory. MINE._ _Why didn't I catch them? Why didn't I smell them? How DARE they come onto the reservation! _He looked at the trunk again. The carving in its bark had been done crudely – but the single word was very readable.

CARLISLE

* * *

**Small spoiler: Once the pack gets past the initial shock they will realize that the Carlisle was not responsible, however there's always a twist and timing is everything.**


	39. Chapter 38 Amber Alert

Chapter Thirty Eight – Amber Alert

"Alright Nessie," Emmett called out loudly. "Come out, come out wherever you are. I give up." He shined the flashlight in the closet again. Her scent was all over his clothes, but she wasn't inside. He scoured the entire house and couldn't find her. She certainly found one hell of a hiding spot.

"Nessie!" He called out again. "You win!"

Rose came into the room and patted his shoulder. "Losing to Nessie. I think that's a new low for you, Em," she grinned.

"Why thank you." He replied sarcastically. "I enjoy hearing about my failures."

"You're so cute." Rose pinched his cheek. She walked over to the closet and began looking through her clothes. Wrinkling her nose she turned to Emmett, "What's that smell?"

He moved closer until he was right beside her. "Smells like some kind of chemical – sulfuric acid?"

She pressed her nose to Emmett and inhaled. "It's not you."

"Of course it's not ME!" He playfully slapped her backside.

"Emmett!" Rose swung back and missed.

Emmett moved directly behind her and pressed his body against hers. He reached around and cupped her breasts in his hand while he lowered his face to her neck. With delicate kisses he moved along her shoulder while unbuttoning her shirt. Rose let out a soft sigh while reaching behind her to caress his thighs. Emmett leaned over her shoulder and Rose turned her head to kiss him. While their tongues circled each other, his hands slipped between her legs.

Suddenly Alice burst into the bedroom. Her eyes were wide with fear. "Where's Nessie?"

Emmett broke away from Rose. "Ever hear of knocking?" He said sharply, but then saw her expression and fell silent.

"She's not in here." Rose held her shirt closed as she turned around.

"We have to find her NOW!" Alice ran from the room. "Nessie! Nessie!"

Emmett and Rose followed her down the hall as she frantically searched all the bedrooms.

"I already looked in here," Emmett said to Alice as he took her arm. "What's happening Alice?"

"I saw her," Alice's voice was shaky. She broke away from Emmett's grasp and dropped to her knees looking under the furniture. "And she was scared. Very scared." She got back to her feet and ran out of the room. "Nessie!"

***

Nessie stayed completely still waiting for the dizziness to pass. She wasn't sure what had just happened, but she knew she wasn't in the closet anymore. She even suspected she wasn't home anymore.

"Think she'll be sick?" A deep voice inquired.

Nessie turned her head toward the vampire. He reminded her of the Volturri, Tall and menacing, with dark features. He was dressed in a suit, though it didn't appear that he was going anywhere special. She couldn't help noticing the long sword in his hand.

"She is half human – maybe you should get a bucket." Another voice replied.

That voice came from behind her. As she turned her head she saw the hand was still on her shoulder. Angrily she bit into it. The skin broke easily and the man's blood shot into her mouth.

Nessie gagged. It was by far the most bitter substance she had ever tasted. Coughing, she released his hand and regurgitated the small amount that she'd swallowed in a puddle on the floor.

"Insolent Child!"

The impact against the back of her head knocked her against the wooden floor and into the blood she'd just put there.

"EGAN!" The other voice shouted. "My God what are you doing?"

"She BIT me," Egan shouted back.

"Yes and I'm certain she'll never do it again." The vampire snorted as he gripped the back of her shirt pulling her to her feet. Nessie struggled to free herself punching and kicking, but the kidnapper simply held her at arm's length and watched her efforts with amusement.

"Let me go" she screamed still flailing her limbs. "Let me go!" She screamed louder. Maybe someone would hear her.

Egan stuck his fingers in his ears. "Can you shut her up?" he yelled at the vampire.

"Cease." The single word was enforced by the pressure of the sword upon her neck.

***

In less than thirty seconds Alice had put the entire coven on high alert.

"When was the last time you saw her?" Carlisle asked Emmett.

"Maybe twenty minutes ago, in the garage." Emmett replied.

"Then she came into the living room – Edward spoke with her, and then she went upstairs," Esme added.

"Did anyone see her come back downstairs?" Carlisle looked around for a response but none came. "Are you sure she wasn't outside?" he addressed Alice.

"No. She was definitely inside somewhere. And she was so scared." Alice's voice choked up. "I'm so sorry," she looked at Bella and Edward who clung to each other, their faces paler than normal.

"We'll find her," Carlisle told them. "Everyone spread out – check every inch of this house."

The group disbursed, but Rose hung behind. "Carlisle."

"Yes Rose," His voice was tense.

"I think you should come upstairs. There was a strange smell in our bedroom." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Right where Nessie scent was the strongest."

"Show me." Carlisle followed her up the stairs and into the bedroom. Rose led him to the closet and gestured to the pile of clothes on the floor. She inhaled deeply and was surprised to find the odor was much fainter now.

She watched Carlisle's nostrils flare as he too, caught the scent. His tense face turned to terror. Rose saw a tremor of fear ripple through his body. And that was terrifying.

"Carlisle?" She said his name hesitantly.

"She's hurt!" Alice's scream came from down the hallway. "I see blood on her. BLOOD!"

Carlisle pressed his fist to his forehead "please no" he said softly before fleeing from the room.

Rose stood there clenching her fists. NO ONE was going to hurt Nessie, without consequence.

***

Nessie sat cross legged in the center of the bare floor. Her hair was mussed and Egan's blood marred the front of her shirt. She watched the two men closely, waiting to see what they would do to her next.

Alavaro held her down while the warlock drew a large circle on the wooden planks. He added several different symbols around the perimeter while chanting in a language she'd never heard before. When he was finished, the vampire pushed her into the circle. As soon as she crossed over the line she felt the strength drain out of her. Remaining in a sitting position was all she could manage. It came at the expense of talking, she was that tired.

Her head would drop to the side every once in while, as if to remind her how weak she was. But she fought against whatever magic was holding her captive. Neither of her kidnappers seemed to care as long as she stayed quiet. She closed her eyes for a brief second. Even though she couldn't see them, she paid close attention to every word they spoke to each other.

"You knocked the tree down, right?" Alavaro asked the warlock. "Loud enough so they could hear it."

"Yes I knocked the tree down," he replied between crunches. He was eating something. "Though I still don't understand the importance of that."

"I don't want them tracing the teleportation." The vampire replied. "So I thought I'd create a bit of a diversion."

"Knocking over a tree in Lycan territory is hardly a diversion." Egan snickered.

"Oh it's not the tree" Alavaro smiled wickedly. "It's what's inside."

"Be as cryptic as you want." The warlock snorted. "There's no way they'll ever find us."

"Don't underestimate Carlisle. He's very resourceful."

"I do not fear a coven of vampires. Let them find us – I'll destroy them all." Egan shrugged.

They heard a whimper coming from the child and glanced her way.

"Oh that's right" The warlock rolled his eyes. "What are we going to do with that?" he gestured to Nessie.

"Keep her here until Femke gets back." Alavaro replied. "Speaking of your lady, has she checked in with you recently?" the vampire asked.

"Not since she left." Egan took another bite of the peach. "But yesterday I scryed for her and she is in Jamaica. So I performed a looking glass spell and saw her resting peacefully in a coffin. I suppose catching some rays on the beach wouldn't be the best idea." He chuckled.

"A coffin. Really?" Alavaro shook his head at the thought. "And she has the nerve to tell me that **I'm** living in the past."

***

"Jasper! Edward!" Carlisle barked. "Use your abilities to their maximum distance. Look for any sign of Nessie."

"Carlisle what's going on?" Edward demanded. He'd tried to read the doctor's mind, but it was a jumble of thoughts overridden by an amount of fear he'd never expected from Carlisle.

"A warlock has taken Nessie. And EVERY second is critical", he replied. "Esme! Where is my bag?"

"I don't understand", Bella was close to tears. "What's a warlock and why would it want Nessie?"

Carlisle looked at her sadly. "Bella, warlocks are the most evil creatures in existence. Trust me, you do not want to know what they do to little girls."

Edward's jaw clenched so tightly he nearly broke his own teeth. He heard Carlilsle's thoughts and he was not going to let ANYONE touch his daughter.

"Why?" Bella sobbed covering her face. "WHY Nessie?"

"Which bag?" Esme inquired as she came into the room.

Carlisle gave her a trying look. "The magic bag, Esme."

"Carlisle what are you going to do?" Esme asked fearfully.


	40. Chapter 39 Unfaithful

**a/n: enormous amount of love to Southern Amateur for the reviews. I am sooo excited to break 100! And to answer the question why am I posting this so slowly - it's because of chapters like this which are so rough and lacking continuity, I cringe when I think about people reading it. There are so many exceptional writers on this site, it's intimidating!**

**For twilightfanficreader: Sorry to make you sad! Things do get a bit worse (more for Jacob than Nessie), but I assure you that there is happy ending (at least for them).**

* * *

Chapter Thirty Nine – Unfaithful

Mia sat with Na'ahkul at the small table in the room just outside the bedroom. At his request the other Lycans had moved outside allowing them a small amount of privacy. However they kept walking by the window, glancing inside every few minutes. She could tell Na'ahkul was very annoyed by their actions.

Na'ahkul had a large plate of chicken and fish which he'd eaten quickly. Mia took another bite of the salad that was made especially for her. She knew they were suspicious of her. Lycans ate meat, and the fact that she was munching contentedly on lettuce was far from normal behavior, but she was too hungry to care.

"Are you sure you don't want any chicken?" Na'ahkul asked her again.

"This is fine, thank you," she replied. Hoping he wouldn't ask her to explain the nuances of her diet.

Na'ahkul crossed his arms and with his elbows on the table leaned forward. "Samia", he began, "What territory are you from?"

Mia set her fork against her plate. "Costa Rica."

"But your accent is American."

"I live in the United States now. What about you?"

"I was born in Central India and was migrated to Ireland four years ago."

"I was wondering why your English was so perfect."

"Oh, it's not because of the migration. I had excellent tutors in India," He explained. "And between you and me, I have a great deal of difficulty understanding the Irish accents. And I doona wish to talk aboot it" He finished his sentence light heartedly mocking the brogue. Mia nearly choked on her dinner. She's never heard an Indian poke fun at the Irish before, and it was very funny."

"You like that, aye", he continued in his version of the accent and Mia couldn't keep from laughing out loud.

And with that the ice was broken between the two of them. Mia discovered that Na'ahkul was very well traveled. He'd been to all of Asia and most of Europe. This trip to Brazil was the first time he'd been to South America. In spite of the numerous stamps in his passport, he'd never been to North America.

"I'd like to visit Canada someday", Na'ahkul told her.

"What about the States?" Mia looked at him curiously.

"Please don't this the wrong way, but I'm not fond of the United States." He made a face.

"How could I not take that the wrong way?" Mia wasn't sure if he was kidding or not.

"Samia, they call football soccer, need I say more?"

They both laughed again.

-o-

"Lashly" Cloissone growled his name.

"Yes, Prince Cloisonné" The team leader kept his head low. He knew this conversation was not going to be pleasant.

"I spoke with each member of your crew individually." The Prince paced the floor as he wiped his brow tiredly. "It would appear that you acted outside the boundaries defined by your position."

"Are you referring to my recruiting efforts?" Lashly narrowed his gaze.

"Among other things" Cloisonné's feet fell silent as he turned to face Lashly. "I've always liked you. In fact, you've been one of the strongest leaders we've had, which is probably why this is so hard for me."

The Prince didn't have to say more; Lashly's earlier fear had been confirmed. He was being demoted. He was losing his team.

"The voting was unanimous; Nelson is taking over the team." Cloisonné informed him. "Effective Monday, you'll be transferred to Legions and reporting to Prince Idris."

"WHAT!" Lashly shrieked. "The Legions."

"There are now two spots open on Nelson's team" Cloissone continued.

But Lashly was barely listening as he fought back the anger._ Nelson's team._ It was HIS team. He built that team from nothing! The blood pulsed through him, bringing him closer to raging.

"As a Legion soldier you are eligible to apply for one of them."

He couldn't believe he was hearing this. He could _apply_ to be on a team the HE built. It was absolutely insulting. He had to talk to Nelson. There had to be a way to fix this.

-o-

Their meals were finished and Mia and Na'ahkul had moved back into the bedroom. They'd closed the door, but Mia knew the others were just outside it. She found it interesting how they seemed to be guarding Na'ahkul. He must be someone important.

"I was wondering what you think about The King's policies regarding Magic" Na'ahkul asked. He watched her carefully putting her things back into her bag.

"You want to know what _I_ think about Harper? I mean King Harper", she quickly added. Mia cursed herself again. She felt much too relaxed around Na'ahkul.

"Considering how it affects you so directly, I thought you may have an opinion on the matter", he specified as he hopped up onto the dresser.

"As a bounty hunter, I have complete immunity to laws not enforced by The Society", Mia answered. "So his policies do not affect me at all."

"But that's where you're wrong. You ARE affected. You asked me not to tell anyone about you. Why is that – if you are immune to the law as you claim to be?"

"Probably for the same reason you lied about why you went to see a warlock", Mia replied.

Their eyes locked again.

"If you want me to trust you, then YOU have to trust me." She finished.

"You have no idea what you're asking of me", Na'ahkul whispered.

Mia's suspicions were confirmed. He was definitely hiding something. And she found herself wondering, what if _he_ was hybrid too?

She often wondered about the possibility that she wasn't the only one out there. During the years she'd spent searching for her birthfather, she always kept the thought in the back of her mind when she met other Lycans. But she'd learned how to hide her magic, and she could only assume if there were others out there they'd learned to do the same.

Of course, now that she held a blade there was no reason to be ashamed of her abilities. After that first summer she spent in Jamaica she realized how many Lycans hated all things magic, and her insecurities made her believe the only way to be accepted was to pretend she was Lycan and nothing more. When the coven asked her to leave the Estate, it was almost as devastating as when her mother died. Mia never wanted to feel that way again.

-o-

Jacob closed his eyes, hoping if he couldn't see her the soft whispering of her voice might not have the same affect. Her words swept over him like a cool summer breeze, sending a pleasurable chill down his spine. The temptation was so immense it was about to wear down his resolve. _Nessie_ He kept repeating her name as a mantra to fight away the impure thoughts that plagued his mind. He was imprinted. He had a soul mate. There was no reason it should be this hard to resist Skylar.

Her hand cupped the nape of his neck as she drew him closer. His cheek pressed against the cold metal bars as her sweet breath tickled his ear.

"I believe in destiny, Jacob. I always have. No event happens randomly. There is no coincidence. When two people meet, they meet for a reason. Sometimes they have to find out why they've been brought together. But sometimes they are fortunate enough to already know why their paths have crossed. Up until this moment I didn't entirely understand it, but now it's very clear how we are connected to each other. And why we are here, together."

"Skylar", he couldn't manage much more than her name.

"Yes, Jacob", her fingers tenderly massaged his scalp as she pressed her forehead against the bars.

"Please stop."

"Stop what?"

"Talking."

Skylar let her hand fall gently down his chest, her fingertips brushing against his bare skin. His body trembled as she slowly traced the muscular ridges in his abdominal region. She heard his heart rate speed up as the tip of her nose touched his. Their lips were less an inch apart and as much as she wanted to close the gap between them, Skylar waited. She needed to be sure that this was real, that he wanted this as much as she did.

His unsteady hand made its way up her arm to her shoulder. Its motion stopped and she heard his shakily breath as his fingers shyly looped into the break away strap of her sundress. Overcome with excitement, Skylar ran her hands upward against the Jacob's thighs before dipping her own fingers into his straps.

He growled softly at her involuntarily releasing his own pheromone in to the air. Skylar caught the scent and pressed her face harder against the bars sweeping her tongue over her lips in anticipation. She exhaled, letting her moist breath carry her scent in to his nostrils. His grip tightened on her strap as his lips came closer to hers. Skylar felt Jacob's other hand creeping up her inner thigh and under her skirt. Her breathing quickened as his hand went higher. They hadn't even done anything yet and she was fully aroused. How was it possible to be this attracted to someone?

-o-

Lashly was all alone in the apartment. He held his phone in front of him scrolling through the speed dial. No one was answering his calls, not even Coal. He stared down at the display on the phone, his fingers automatically dialing the familiar number. Before it rang he terminated the call. There was nothing Mia could do about this.

He checked the time and saw that Skylar only had a few hours left in her shift. Maybe she'd like some company. He dialed the prison and waited for her to answer.

At the prison Kennard was completely absorbed by what was about to happen between the guard and the prisoner. The tips of their noses were touching and their mouths were barely a hair's width apart. Their hands were wrapped around the break away straps and it was just a matter of seconds before their clothes were on the floor. He couldn't help wondering if they would try to copulate through the bars of the cell.

The phone next to him rang loudly, causing the old man to nearly jump out of his skin. He laughed at himself when he realized he was biting his nails in anticipation. It was like the cliff hanger of a live soap opera.

"North, this is Kennard."

"Kennard, this is Lashly. Can I talk to Skylar?"

All the moisture ran from the doctor's mouth. _Dear God, her husband is on the phone. _

"She's with one of the prisoners right now." he responded.

"Ok, well tell her I'm on my way over."

"You're coming here?"

"Is there a problem with that?"

"No, not at all. In fact, I think I see her coming down the hall. You can tell her yourself – Hold on a second."

Kennard put the call on hold and took a deep breath. Yes, he was a counselor, but the last thing he wanted to do was get involved in this sort of drama. He glanced at the monitor then reached for the intercom.

-o-

"Is this a wedding ring?" Na'ahkul asked Mia as he put the gold band over his forefinger. Mia took the ring away from him and put it back in the small pouch with her necklace.

"Is it _your_ wedding band?" Na'ahkul was leaning over her shoulder. "And who is Jason?"

"You're very nosey." Mia turned her back to him and continued putting away her things.

"You're very secretive." He countered as he picked another object.

"Says the man who won't reveal more than his name and territory." Mia grabbed the vile from his hand.

"I'm also single." He added with a smile.

"I wonder why?" Mia replied.

"I haven't met the right woman yet."

"Good luck with that."

Mia turned her back to him. Her priority had to be finishing the job. The demon wasn't going to catch itself. Now that it had a few days head start, it was unlikely she'd be able to find it anytime soon. She wondered if the demon she saw might have any information. Not that she wanted to cross paths with that warlock again. Looking into her bag, she took a quick inventory of her things and then reached for her phone. Making sure Na'akhul couldn't see what she was doing Mia quickly entered her code to check the status of her assignment. The phone buzzed and the screen lit up with the date and time.

Mia's heart dropped when she saw it was her mother's birthday.

***

Skylar pulled his break away straps until they were one small motion away from popping. Jacob's mouth hovered over hers drawing out the moment. If she could have moved any closer she knew she would have kissed him by now. His hand was up her skirt and so close to where she wanted it. She tried everything she could think of to entice him to move it there. Her body trembled with anticipation.

Jacob felt her tighten the straps and knew he had to do something. But what? He was conflicted he didn't want to make the choice.

_Nessie. Nessie. Nessie._

He shouldn't do this. Skylar was nice, but this whole situation was wrong. He moved his hand away from her leg, let go of her strap and turned his head away. He put his hands over hers and loosened her grip on him.

"I can't", he mumbled as he turned his back to her. He didn't want to see the look on her face, because he knew how hurt she must feel. He felt that way too once upon a New Moon.

Skylar bit her lip until it bled forcing herself not to cry. The rejection stung more than she thought it would. She watched as he took a few steps away to the back of cell. Suddenly there was a screech and Kennard's voice came over the intercom.

"Skylar, you have a phone call."

Jacob heard the patter of her footsteps as she ran out of the room. He caught a final glimpse of the yellow sundress as the door slammed closed. He kept telling himself that he did the right thing. She was a married woman. He had a soul mate. They barely knew each other. This wasn't destiny. Skylar was mistaken.

He sank down to the floor tiredly. The deck of cards and peanut shells stared back at him. Jacob pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his head on his arms. She hadn't even been gone a minute, and he already missed her.

***

"Stupid tears", Mia hastily wiped them away. She scrolled down her speed dial and selected Paxton's number.

"You're late." Her sister informed her as she answered the call. "There's barely any pie left."

"I'm sorry. I just…", the words stuck in her throat.

"I miss her too, Sammie. Are you coming over?"

"I can't stay long. Maybe an hour?"

"Ok. See you soon."

Mia wiped her eyes again and saw that Na'ahkul was standing next to her. Compassion radiated from him as he reached out to embrace her.

"Are you alright?"

"I have to go." Mia broke away from him, put her bag on her shoulder and called to her blade. "Thank you for saving me." She ran her arm over her eyes again as she headed for the door.

"Wait!" Na'ahkul shot forward reaching for her. His arms wrapped around her as he tried to stop her from leaving the room.

The next thing he knew, he was doubled in pain on the floor of a strange room. He gagged briefly before vomiting all over the tile floor. When he looked up he saw Samia's shocked expression as well as the angelic face of beautiful blonde woman.

* * *

**a/n: I feel that I must mention that there were several versions of the Jacob/Skylar moment. No matter how much I tried to justify a more intimate encounter, I couldn't. I wanted to - believe me, but I just don't think Jacob would have given in to his physical urges when his heart belongs to someone else. **

**I am very curious to know if you think I made the right choice.**


	41. Chapter 40 Barking

**a/n: I am going to TRY very hard to increase the frequency of updates as a thank you to everyone who has been reading faithfully. I love you all!**

**(Please ignore grammar and spelling mistakes)**

* * *

Chapter 40 Barking up the Wrong Tree

_SAM!_

_CALM DOWN!_

_RELAX MAN!_

Sam Uley had never experienced this degree of rage before. With his sharp claws he shredded the redwood like it was paper and continued his path of destruction all the way back to his house.

_SAM!_

His brothers kept calling to him, but he ignored them. He was on his way to the Cullen's and no one was going to stop him.

_Sam you have to stop and think._ Embry spoke in his mind. _There's no way the Cullens did this. Carlisle would never carve his name in a tree._

_NO Embry – YOU need to think. _Sam countered. _What if that was a message from someone telling us that the Cullens aren't to be trusted._

_Then why wouldn't they just come and talk to us. _Embry offered.

_Hey guys_. Quil snuck into the conversation. _I think you should come back here and look at this again._

_NO_. Sam growled. _We need to confront the cold ones._

_I don't think that tree fell by accident. _Quil replied. _It looks like it was cut down._

_What?_ Embry replied. _Why would someone cut down a tree in the middle of a storm?_

-o-

All the Cullens crowded in Rose and Emmett's bedroom. Alice knelt on the floor next to Carlisle, frantically sweeping her hands over the clothes piled on the floor in hopes of getting a vision. Edward had reached out as far as he could with his telepathy and there was no sign of Nessie. Jasper pushed his ability to the limits as well. Aside from tension at the Quileute Reservation he was unable to sense any other hostile entities.

Bella watched as Esme handed Carlisle a brown leather bag. It looked like the old fashioned style medical bags that doctors used when they made house calls. He emptied the contents on the floor, a worn journal, a small velvet bag and a jeweled broach. The spine cracked as Carlisle opened the book and there was a slight tearing sound as he hastily turned the first page. Swearing under his breath, he swept through the pages at a much slower speed. When he found what he was looking for he handed the book to Esme who held it open for him.

The small bag contained what could only be described as a spinning top. It was tiny, about the size of a wedding band and was made of a material Bella didn't recognize.

"Emmett, do you have the map?" Carlisle inquired.

The muscular vampire handed over an atlas and a few road maps which Carlisle spread out across the floor right in front of the closet. He set the top in the center and while holding his hands out over it began to read from the journal Esme held.

-o-

The cold summer rain pelted the coats of Seth and Brady as they ran through the woods. Their heavy paws splashed through mud as they patrolled the perimeter. Both were a little scared of this new threat. A vampire that had taken at least one human life, completely undetected by their pack and by the Cullens.

_Do you think it might be a newborn?_

_What if the Volturri came back?_

There were plenty of question,s but no answers.

Quil, Embry and Sam pierced the connection with news of more death. At least three more casualties, and this time it was on their land. It made them angry that the cold ones would be so bold as to trespass into their territory. The boys kept silent as they covered the distance quickly, hoping they'd find the entity responsible for this.

There was nothing unusual about the forest. The familiar tress watched over them. The familiar pathways showed no sign of an enemy. Nothing was making sense.

_Emily's fine Sam._ Collins voice swept through the link. _We're on our way to the caves._

Brady stopped running and phased to his human form. "Seth, wait" He called after his brother who was several feet ahead.

Seth looped around and stood in front of him letting out a whimper of urgency.

"What if it's not a vampire?" Brady said to him. "What if something else is doing this?"

"Like what?" Seth stood up to face his pack mate. "And don't say aliens."

"I don't know what it could be. I mean what else is there? A serial killer?" Brady suggested.

"Brady, come on, we're wasting time." Seth returned to his wolf form and continued on his way. Brady followed behind him taking care to be extra observant. Maybe it wasn't aliens or a serial killer, but he had a feeling it was a new enemy. One they'd never seen before.

-o-

"Well would you look at that?" Egan mused to the vampire who sat nearby. Alavaro glanced over to the circle where the child was sleeping. The symbols were glowing faintly slowly getting brighter.

"It seems your friend Carlisle does have a few cards up his sleeve, eh" The warlock said in jest.

"He is NOT my friend." Alavaro replied harshly. "And I warned you not to underestimate him."

"Name a place – any place, some where nice and sunny. I'm going to override his little spell." Egan chuckled to himself.

"Africa", Alavaro replied.

"Oohhh, yes." Egan scratched his chin. "Let's see, isn't there a big Lycan territory in Sudan?"

"I believe that is the King's home territory."

"Perfect!" Egan walked over to the circle and ran his hands over it. The symbols burned with a blue flame for several seconds before returning to normal.

The warlock yawned and stretched his arms. "I think I'm going to call it a night."

"But the day is just beginning." Alavaro glanced at Femke's clock. It was 8am in Germany.

"I'm still on Pacific Time." Egan replied. "It's a mortal thing. Wake me up in few hours."

-o-

Sue Clearwater began her examination of the body that was brought to the cave. She was a nurse, not a coroner but she knew enough to confirm that the man had died within the last few hours. She was also able to tell that the body was drained of most of its blood.

The Elders argued among themselves over a course of action. No one wanted to involve the local authorities, but what do you do with a corpse?

Leah stood there listening to the old men prattling back and forth. She glanced over at Jared and Paul who were helping her mother with the body. There was no reason she needed to stay here any longer. "Going on patrol," she announced as she darted out of the cave. Dropping her clothes to the ground, she transformed and ran across the damp ground.

In her head she heard Sam ranting about going to confront the Cullens, something about bodies and a tree. Shifting her course she increased her speed hoping to intercept him.

_If Jacob was here…_

_JACOB IS NOT HERE. _Sam's menacing snarl resounded through the link.

_Sam, the Cullens didn't do this!_ Embry was shouting at him.

_I'm coming with you. _Leah spoke to him. _I want to talk to Edward._

_What are you going to do? Show up at their house and accuse them of murder? _Embry asked._ I don't think that's the best strategy._

_This has gone on too long. I want answers._ Sam replied.

_GUYS! I FOUND FOOTPRINTS! _Quil broke through the link again.

_Footprints? Where do they go? _Sam slowed his pace allowing Embry to catch up.

_I'm following them right now._ Quil answered as he carefully followed the path away from the tree. The prints stopped about ten feet away from the trunk. He checked each direction several times, but it looked as though they disappeared into this air. _Has to be a vampire._ Quil told them, remembering how vampires can jump long distances. He looked up into the trees. _Probably came down from a tree and then went back up there._

-o-

The Cullens watched as the tiny top whirled across the paper. It spun wildly, hopping around until it reached the atlas. Carlisle turned the book page by page and waited for to see what it would do. When he reached the page that contained the continent of Africa, a bright blue flame encased the object and it moved rapidly onto the page. It stopped and rotated rapidly for several seconds before the flame disappeared. It dropped to its side and lay still.

Carlisle stared at the map and swore again.

"She's in Juba." Edward said aloud as he read the doctor's mind.

"Where's that?" Emmett asked.

"Africa", Bella replied. "Juba is major city in the country of Sudan."

"Let's go then." Rosalie replied as she grabbed her suitcase and began packing.

"It's not that simple," Carlisle said tiredly.

"How do we go out in the sunlight?" Bella asked.

"It's not the African sun that worries me, Bella." Carlisle replied. "It's the werewolves there. They are much less tolerant of our kind than the Quileute."

"Who the hell cares? We have to get Nessie back." Emmett threw a few shirts at Rose. "If I have to kill a thousand of them I will.

"Me too." Jasper told him.

"We're all going." Esme informed her husband. "Now everyone go pack."

-o-

When Leah realized that Sam turned around to go back to the tree she decided that she was going to talk to the Cullens. She knew it was late, but vampires never slept so it shouldn't be a big deal for her to show up a few minutes before midnight on a Friday. She put her clothes back on and hopped into Sam's truck speeding across the reservation to get to the main road.

The highway was vacant and so she crossed the city line into Forks undetected. It was dark and still raining, which caused her to miss the turn into the hidden driveway. She was forced to do a U-turn and come back. As she turned the familiar crunch of gravel under the tires made her blood boil. Just the sight of their gargantuan home made her furious.

They HAD to know what was going on at the reservation. They HAD to know what happened to Jacob. Storming up the front door, she pounded against it with her fist. Two seconds later, no one had answered. She looked inside but there were no lights on – the power outage, she told herself. Leah banged against the door again but there was still no response.

She tried the door, but it was locked. _Why the hell would they lock the door? There was no way a house full of vampires was afraid of a burgler._ Leah crept around to the back of the house and tried the back door with the same result. She tried the garage next and for some reason that was open. She stepped boldly into the oversize space filled with better tools than most professional mechanics owned.

"Hello. Is anyone here?" She yelled loudly as she made her way into the house via the access door. Leah walked through the entire house. She checked each room and there was no sign of the Cullens. She went downstairs and sat on the plush vampire-scented couch. It didn't matter if she had to stay here all night. This time she wasn't leaving until she got some answers.


	42. Chapter 41 Gossip Girl XOXO

a/n: In case you skipped the "I Do" chapter - Paxton is Mia's half-sister, she owns her own Salon in a little town called Oak Hollow, NC.  
Additionally, she is happily married to Jake Dougherty and they are expecting their first child.

* * *

Chapter 41 – Gossip Girl XOXO

Skylar slowed her pace as she walked down the hall to the control room. She was trying to keep what little dignity she still had intact. It wasn't bad enough that Jacob found her undesirable, knowing that Kennard had witnessed at least part of it, just made it that much more humiliating. He was going to have a fucking field day analyzing this at their meeting Tuesday.

She was only a few feet away from the door when Kennard stuck his head out into the hallway.

"It's LASHLY," he hissed at her. "He wants to come here and I didn't know what to tell him!"

"Thank you, Kennard. I'll handle it." Skylar replied as her head sunk even lower. Everything happens in threes. She sat down at her station and picked up the handset. "Would you mind giving me a minute?"

Kennard nodded and left the room. The door closed behind him and Skylar took a deep breath. "North, this is Skylar."

"Hey, its me and…" Lashly began.

"How was the concert?" Skylar asked before he could finish.

"It was Ok, but…"

"How did the guys like it?"

"I'll tell you about it when…."

"Did you see Dekka?"

"Stop interrupting me!"

"I was just trying to talk to you."

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

"I'm busy…"

"Doing what? It's 4am."

"Reports. Filing. Dekka and Ackerly didn't do anything today.

"Can't Kennard do that stuff?"

"I'd just have to redo it all if he did. And honestly, I'm surprised he's still awake right now."

"Fine. I'll wait until you get home."

"I might be late."

"What! Why?"

"Dekka said she'll be in late because of the concert. And I can't leave Crystal during the morning rounds. "

"What the fuck? I _really_ need to see you."

"I'll be home as soon as I can. I promise."

"Alright. Goodbye Skylar."

"Bye Lashly."

Skylar hung up the phone and buried her head in her hands. _I really need to see you._ That was his way of saying he needed to have sex. Right now she was not in the mood for him or his needs.

-o-

Paxton clasped her hands over mouth in shock when she saw her little sister. She hated seeing Mia hurt. The burns were clearly visible on her exposed skin and Paxton was sure there were more under her clothes. And speaking of her clothes, what was she wearing? It looked like something out of a Bolliwood movie. And her hair, what the hell happened there? And who was the guy puking on the floor? Could it be Lashly? Had Mia finally decided to let her meet him?

"What the fuck!" Mia exclaimed as she grabbed Na'ahkul by the back of his shirt. "Do you have any what you just did?"

"I vomited." Na'ahkul answered weakly as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"Sammie, calm down," Paxton told her sister as she took a stack of towels from the nearby shelf, "I'll just clean it up."

"NO. You're pregnant," Mia took the towels from her hands and threw one at Na'ahkul, "Let this fucker clean up his mess."

"SAMMIE!" Paxton snapped. She couldn't believe Mia would treat Lashly that way. No wonder they had so many relationship issues.

"And then I'm taking you right back to Brazil," Mia threw another towel at him.

_Brazil?_ Paxton thought to herself. _Maybe it's not Lashly._

"Where am I now?" Na'ahkul caught the towel. He looked around the room slowly. The wall right in front of him had a large mirror over a counter that was filled with hair brushes and combs. There was a row of salon chairs, hair dryers, a basin for washing hair. Shelves full of beauty products lined another wall. A small desk was in the corner with rows and rows of brightly colored nail polish.

"You're in my Salon," Paxton told him. "I'm Paxton by the way." She reached out her hand and shook his. "It's very nice to meet you…."

"Na'ahkul," he swallowed hard. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever met. Her soft blonde curls framed her face as her bright blue eyes lit up the room. She was very petite, except for her bulging belly. "Please forgive my mess. I don't know what came over me." He knelt down and began mopping up the puddle on the floor.

"Don't even mention it. Most people can't handle teleportation," Paxton smiled warmly. _He's so cute! I wonder when Mia met him. Have to interrogate her later…._

"Is that how we got here?" He looked at Mia.

"Yes," Mia replied as she crossed her arms over her chest and stuck out her hip. He definitely overstepped his boundaries.

"You're a witch," he looked back at Paxton. Now that he had his bearings again, her scent was very distinct.

"You can smell me," Paxton grinned at him. _Definitely Lycan and look at those muscles._

"Are there more of you? " Na'ahkul asked with great enthusiasm. His mind had already envisioned recruiting her entire coven to help them with the rebellion.

"Enough chatting," Mia interrupted him and pointed to the floor.

"Please Samia," Na'ahkul gave her a patronizing glance. "It is very important that I speak with Paxton in private."

"In PRIVATE", Mia choked out the words. "There's no way I'm leaving my pregnant sister alone with you. Whatever you have to say to her you can say in front of me."

Paxton looked back and forth between them, trying to figure out what was happening. Obviously this guy wasn't a boyfriend, so who was he?

-o-

Skylar allowed herself once glance at the monitor. Jacob was sitting on the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest. His arms were crossed over his each other, cradling his head. There was a brief moment when she thought about going back down there telling herself she needed to clean up the mess, but the thought passed quickly since the sting of his words was so fresh.

She grabbed the clipboard and left to do rounds. Maybe stop down at South to chat. Isaza could talk forever and even though Skylar could care less about her gossip, it was an easy way to kill time before her shift ended.

"Doing rounds," she announced as she passed Kennard's office pushing all thoughts of Jacob Black from her mind.

After doing her rounds with painstaking accuarracy she finally arrived at South. Isaza was ecstatic to see her.

"Skylar! Where have you been all night? You will NEVER believe what happened at the concert," she gushed. "You have to sit down for this one." She yanked Skylar's arm forcing her into one of the chairs. "Tanner almost gave a PD," she said knowingly.

"A PD, at the concert?" Skylar gasped. "Why would he do that?"

"Well, let me start at the beginning," Isaza flapped her hands excitedly. "You know about Tanner and Lindsey, right? They're on suspension for using the conjugal room during their shift. I think it goes without saying that they are both on Noel's shit list right now. So apparently Lindsey was _all over _this guy at the concert. Dekka said she saw her put her hands down the front of his pants, and so did Tanner. He totally freaked out on Lindsey and the guy who turned out to be…," Isaza paused dramatically, "Coal from Lashly's team."

"Oh my God," The grin spread across Skylar's face. "Lindsey and _Coal._"

"I know. She's old enough to be his mother!" Isaza clapped her hands together. "Isn't that PRICELESS!"

"Priceless is one way to put it," Skylar laughed.

"But wait it gets better."

Skylar leaned forward and gave Isaza her full attention. She wasn't sure how much better the story could get, but she wanted to hear every last detail.

-o-

Paxton as the sole owner of her Salon dealt with people and conflicting personalities on a daily basis. As she watched the death stare pass between her sister and Na'ahkul, she was confused to say the least, but also felt as though she needed to play mediator in their exchange. She gave Mia 'the look' and they excused themselves to the back room, leaving their guest alone in the main part of the shop.

"Sammie, you need to tell me what the hell is going on, right now!" Paxton said angrily keeping her voice as low as she could.

"Don't bother whispering, he can still hear you," Mia replied. "And there's nothing going on, he hitched a ride that's all. As soon as he cleans up I'm taking him back."

"What were you doing that he 'hitched a ride'? And what happened to you?" Paxton reached up and fingered her sister's cropped hair.

"Just a little fire. Nothing to worry about," Mia tilted her head away.

"A fire! And you haven't called in over a month. I was starting to get worried. I hate not knowing where you are," Paxton wrapped her arms around Mia. "I'm always afraid that HE is going to call."

"I'm sorry," Mia hugged her sister back. "I should have called. I'm a bad sister."

"Damn right you're a bad sister," Paxton gave her another squeeze before letting go. "And if I wasn't with child, I'd kick your ass."

"How is she?" Mia rubbed her sister's belly.

"She's perfect," Paxton smiled. "I can't wait to meet her."

"Ten weeks left, right?"

"And counting. You better be at my baby shower. Or else you can't be her Godmother," Paxton threatened.

"I'll be there. I promise." Mia patted the bulging belly again.

"So what's the deal with Na'ahkul guy? Is he your new man?" Paxton winked.

"No. Not at all. I just met him a few hours ago. He ummm, sort of rescued me." Mia admitted.

"Rescued you from what?"

"Long story," Mia groaned.

"Good. We need something to discuss over your wash & cut." Paxton took her sister's hand.

"Pax…," Mia protested.

"Have you looked in a mirror, Sammie? Mom would be so pissed if you came to her birthday party looking like shit. And I cannot in good conscience let you leave here with your hair like that."

"But Na'ahkul.."

"I have plenty of magazines in the waiting room. I think he can entertain himself for awhile."

-o-

"She broke his nose!" Skylar cried out in disbelief. "What the fuck is wrong with her?"

"You mean aside from the fact that she's a power-hungry whore," Isaza shook her head.

"Can I use the phone?" Skylar grabbed it without waiting for a reply. She quickly dialed Lashly and after a few rings he answered.

"Hello," his voice was groggy.

"It's me, did I wake you up?"

"um, yeah. It's ok, though. What time is it?"

"Almost 5am. I'm in South with Isaza. She told me what happened at the concert tonight."

"What? How the hell does she know already?"

"She talked to Dekka," Skylar told him. "Are you alright? Do you need me to come home?"

"Well, I thought you were busy."

"I didn't know you were injured."

"Why does that make a difference?"

"Look, do you want me to come home or not?"

"Just do what you want."

"Are you high?"

"What? No. I'm just tired."

"Are you lying?"

"I'm going back to sleep. See you when you get home."

Skylar hung up the phone and saw Isaza watching her closely.

"They say the first year of marriage is the hardest," Isaza offered a tiny smile. "I'm sure you'll work things out."

"We're fine," Skylar informed her. The last thing she needed was Isaza telling everyone about this. Why didn't she wait until she was back in North to call him? _That was stupid!_

The phone rang and Skylar instinctively answered it.

"South, this is Skylar."

"Skylar, Noel wants you to come back to the control room right now," Kennard told her.

"When did Noel get here?"

"About ten minutes ago."

"Thanks, Kennard."

-o-

"So," Paxton began as she wrapped the towel around Mia's neck and tilted her head into the basin, "What do you want to talk about first? The Dougherty family drama or The Cannibus Crew?"

"Start with the Dougherty's," Mia told her as the warm water sprayed against her scalp. "How is Aunt Jean's lawsuit against the Keebler Elves going?"

"She was just in here on Monday," Paxton began. "And according to her lawyer…."

Mia relaxed a little bit. It was so nice to be with Paxton, to forget all the conflict and danger, to just be a normal person getting their hair done.

Paxton chatted endlessly about her in-laws, the Dougherty's. Mia smiled and laughed at the stories. People never ceased to amaze her. She moved to one of the barber shop chairs and Paxton replaced the towel with the plastic bib. Mia felt the tug as her sister tried to comb out the tangles.

"So thick," Paxton muttered. "You realize how many people would LOVE to have hair like this."

Mia looked over at Na'ahkul who sat quietly in one the chairs next to the window. He had a copy of Sports Illustrated on his lap, but his attention was on her sister. The hunter rolled her eyes. It had always been that way. Paxton was beautiful, intelligent and so damn nice! If they weren't related Mia knew she would hate her. At least Ellie had a mean streak to balance out her perfect looks.

Her thoughts drifted to her mother. Being the youngest of three sisters, she had the fewest memories of her. According to everyone who knew her, Alavaro included; Paxton was an exact replica right down to her aversion to olives. There was still a bitterness in her heart from that stupid vampire. He was absolutely stunned when the blade chose her instead of Paxton.

His words, forever etched in her memory; "Samia, sometimes the ugly duckling stays ugly, this is one of those times."

She tried to think of more pleasant memories, but her focus kept drifting to Na'ahkul. Was he actually drooling? Typical. It's not like he a chance with Paxton. He caught Mia looking at him and sent out a low rumble, asking again to be alone with her sister.

_He can keep dreaming_. Mia thought to herself.

* * *

I'm giving you all the weekend off to see New Moon.  
Speaking of, I just wanted to let you know that I bought the soundtrack last night and.... well - Save your money. It's not nearly as good as the Twilight Soundtrack.


	43. Chapter 42 Passport

**a/n: Thanks to Southern Amateur for suggesting the online translator (I revised this section a tiny bit to mention it)**

* * *

Chapter 42 Passport

Nessie watched Alavaro's reaction as Egan left the room. He seemed almost _thankful._ He got up from the chair and opened a drawer in the wooden hutch that sat adjacent to the small kitchen. Holding a single key in his hands, the vampire unlocked a large steamer trunk and began emptying its contents all over the floor.

It took a lot of energy to watch him, but the items he removed caught her eye. There were clothes which were all either pink or purple and seemed to be her size. An assortment of shoes and boots followed by a jewelry box, a clear container full of nail polish, hair scrunchies, brushes and finally a large wooden crate-like box. There were few more items he removed and examined, before returning them to the trunk and locking it. Nessie's view was partially blocked by his body, but she could have sworn she saw a diary.

He sorted through the clothes, separating all the shirts.

"I think these are in fairly good condition. Which one suits you best?" he asked pointing to the pile.

"Who did those belong to?" Nessie scowled.

"They belonged to a little girl who used to live here," he told her.

"What happened to her?" the child asked.

"Why, she grew up of course. Met a very nice man, got married and moved away," Alavaro smiled. His mind drifting back to Oska's small garden wedding. She looked radiant that day.

"So she's still alive," Nessie surmised, suddenly feeling a little better about the current situation.

"No, sadly she passed away," Alavaro replied.

"Oh," Nessie swallowed hard.

-o-

The ride to the airport had been quiet and tense. Now as they waited for the flight to New York, things were much worse. Esme looked to Carlisle for some sort of reassurance but her husband's mind was someplace else. Edward paced the floor, his expression full of concentration. She could tell he was reading the minds of everyone and everything he could. Jasper sat next to Rose, his head buried in his hands as he too tried to find some sort of clue in the population around them. Rose rubbed his back while checking their connecting flight arrangements on her cell phone.

Emmett sat with Bella who at some point during the drive here had gone completely lethargic. She stared blankly ahead, seemingly unaware of anything going on around her. Esme's heart poured out to her, as a mother herself she knew the devastation Bella must feel. Not that Edward didn't feel it too, but it was different for a father.

Alice stood alone watching the planes race down the runway. She was jumpy, tapping her feet against the floor and wringing her hands together. Esme knew Alice was trying hard to make her powers work and she hoped they did and soon.

_Now boarding…_

The crowd around them began getting up and gathering their bags. Esme looked at her own family who acted as though they didn't hear the announcement. She let out a sigh and began collecting her own things. This was going to be a very long flight.

-o-

Nessie decided on a purple shirt with a large glitter unicorn decal on the front. It reminded her of Jacob. The vampire politely turned his back as she changed.

"My name is Alavaro," he told her. "I have no intention of hurting you. The reason you are here is because you possess an uncanny resemblance to the little girl I spoke of earlier."

"So what are you going to do with me?" Nessie asked after she dressed, as she wrapped her arms around her knees fighting the weakness in her body.

"You are going to stay here until a friend of mine returns."

"When is that?"

"Hopefully soon. I'm not sure how much more of Egan," he gestured to the bedroom, "I can take."

"He's mean."

"Yes. He's very nasty, but so are all warlocks. It's just part of their demeanor."

"What's warlock?"

"Warlocks are Magic entities that have reached a high level of expertise in their craft."

"So he's very powerful."

"VERY powerful," Alavaro emphasized. "It would be wise to stay on his good side – not that he has one."

"Why does he taste so bad?"

Alavaro laughed. "Oh dear child, they haven't taught you the simplest of lessons. Magic blood is like soap. It smells very nice but it's inedible. The stronger the skill level, the more bitter it will taste. So, don't eat the green eyed ones," he winked at her.

Nessie's face twitched as a corner of her mouth started to curl up, but she forced it to stop. These people kidnapped her! Took her out of her home! They didn't deserve a smile. In fact she should be trying to escape.

"So tell me, Nessie. That is what they call you; Nessie, correct?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Have you ever ridden a horse?"

She shook her head no.

"Would you like to?"

"Maybe," she shrugged.

"I think you would enjoy it," the vampire smiled. "I own several exceptional mares that would love to have a steady rider. Perhaps once you get settled in, you can visit my barn and meet them."

-o-

The Cullens took their seats in the first class section of the plane. Esme did a quick head count to make sure everyone was there. The somber mood of her family pulled at her heart. They all felt responsible for letting this happen, especially Emmett. She could tell how guilty he felt by the way he stayed near Bella.

The flight attendants began their announcements and safety demonstration. There was a faint clicking as everyone fastened their seatbelts.

The pilot gave a brief hello to all the passengers over the intercom then the plane began to move toward the runway. They picked up speed and soon felt the plane lift off the ground.

A few hours later they touched at JFK Airport in New York. They made their made their way to the international gate preparing to catch their connecting flight to Cairo, Egypt. They had a two hour layover before they could board the plane.

The small shops were brewing coffee and preparing for the morning rush. People walked away from the small kiosks with bagels and muffins and expressos. For the rest of the world it was just another day, but for the vampire coven the clock was ticking.

Esme glanced at her cell phone, noting that with the time difference it was almost 5am on the east coast.

-o-

"Let's begin our lesson," Alavaro slid a book across the floor into the circle. "Now, I'm far from fluent but I think I can give you the basics of the language."

Nessie picked up the book and looked the picture on the cover. It was a smiling little girl holding a doll in her arms. She opened to the first page and saw the picture of the little of girl and beneath it were the words

_hallo bin ich katerina_

"Is this German?" Nessie asked him.

"Yes, It is the only language my friend speaks. So it would be very helpful if you learned a few common phrases. That says '_hallo bin ich katerina_,'" he gestured to the page. "Hello, I am Katerina."

"I don't want to learn German," Nessie slammed the book closed. "I want to GO HOME!"

"We don't always get what we want," he glared at her. "Now open the book."

"NO," Nessie threw the book at him. He caught it perfectly in his hand. She could see how mad he was getting, but she didn't care. She didn't want to stay here with him or meet his friend.

"Do not test my temper," his eyes narrowed as he looked at her. "And do not think that because you are a child I will not strike you." He slid the book back across the floor. It bumped against Nessie's leg and she kicked it back to him.

"Have to be difficult just like the rest of your family," he moved closer to the circle. Nessie scooted to the far side trying to keep her distance. She watched as he drew an additional symbol on the outside of the circle. Suddenly air seemed to weigh a million pounds, crushing her into the floor. Already weakened she couldn't fight back. The pressure on her body was too intense.

"I'll read. I'll read! Just make it stop!"

The gravity was gone and Nessie pushed her upper half off the floor. She felt the book bump against her leg again. Her lip trembled as she opened it to the first page.

"_hallo bin ich katerina_," she read out loud, "hello I am Katerina."

-o-

Alice watched the sunrise through the large glass window. She turned her attention to the activity below as baggage handlers sent the luggage up large conveyor belts into the body of the planes. She'd been trying all night to have a vision, or at least a significant one. She saw several things since they left Forks, but nothing that had to do with Nessie.

She looked over at Jasper. He was seated next to Bella and using his ability to bring her out of her catatonic state, without much success. Rose and Emmett were with Edward who looked as though he was about to snap. Esme and Carlisle were talking quietly.

An image jumped into her mind.

_There was a man, no a vampire, sitting in a chair with a book in his hands, "Ich habe ein weißes Pferd."_

Then it was gone.

She repeated the phrase to herself, it was a foreign language, maybe Russian? Why would she have a vision about a vampire in Russia?

She walked away from the window and sat down next to Carlisle.

"Do you know any Russian?" she asked.

"No," he looked at her curiously. "Why?"

"I just a vision of a vampire and he said _"_Ich habe ein weißes Pferd." I was wondering what that meant in English."

"We could try an online translation," Carlisle suggested taking out his phone. "How would you spell that?"

"I have no idea," Alice admitted. "I…s…, uh…"

"What is it again?" Esme asked.

Alice repeated the phrase.

"I think that's German," Esme looked to Carlisle for confirmation. "Doesn't 'Ich' mean 'I' in German?"

Carlisle nodded distractedly and handed his phone to Esme. She and Alice began trying various ways of spelling the phrase. Soon Jasper and Rose joined them with their suggestions on how to spell it out.

_Now Boarding_…

The Cullens gathered their things and got in line to board the plane.

They sat in their seats waiting for the rest of the passengers, when the first class flight attendant came though the aisle.

"I'm sorry," she said pointing to a laminated sign, "I have to ask you to turn off your cell phone."

Esme smiled politely, shut the phone off and handed it back to Carlisle. Alice was still mumbling the phrase.

"entschuldigen Sie mich," the flight attendant said to her.

"What?" Alice replied.

"I said 'pardon me'," the woman explained. "I didn't realize you spoke English."

"Do you speak German?" Alice asked.

"I speak several languages, its part of the job."

"Can you tell me what 'Ich habe ein weißes Pferd' means?"

The woman chuckled, "It means "I have a white horse.""

"Oh," Alice cocked her head. She thought the phrase would be more insightful. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome."

Esme turned to Alice, "I have a white horse," she laughed sadly. "All that effort for such an elementary phrase."

"Who has a white horse?" Rose asked as she leaned across the aisle.

"Another one of us," Alice eluded as she kept an eye on the flight attendant. "I saw him in my vision."

"Oh," Rose frowned.

_A vampire with a white horse_

The words made Carlisle's unbeating heart pulse.

"What did he look like?" he turned around in his seat and looked at Alice.

"He had on a very nice suit – I say it was probably Armani. Gray with a wide lapel…."

"Long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, widow's peak," Carlisle interrupted.

Alice nodded, "Do you know him?"

"We're getting off the plane," Carlisle announced reaching into the overhead storage unit for his bag.

"What's going on?" Esme asked.

"Nessie isn't in Sudan, she's in Italy."


	44. Chapter 43 U want me 2 what

**a/n: Thanks to everyone for such quick reviews. Before we continue, I wanted to clarify a few things:**

**for twilight fanficreader: Na'ahkul did not imprint on Paxton, he does not have that particular ability.**

**for firemaster101: Casa de Merulla (Alavaro's homestead) is in Italy, about 30km outside of Venice. However, he, Nessie and Egan are at Femke's cottage in Germany. But Carlisle is certainly on the right track.**

* * *

Chapter 43 – You want me to do what?

"What do you mean put it back?" Jared gasped.

"Take it back and re-bury it," the tribal elder told him.

"You want us to RE-bury the body," Paul repeated.

He and Jared were stunned. It wasn't bad enough that they found a body, desecrated a grave and transported the vampire's victim, NOW they were supposed to reverse the process.

"Yes. You should go immediately, while there is less chance of being seen."

Jared and Paul exchanged a look.

"What happens if we get caught?"

There was no answer. The Elders were congregating, speaking feverishly in the Quileute native language.

"I can't fucking believe this," Paul growled as he began covering the body.

"You're not the only one!" Jared shot back, "Let's just get this over with."

They carried the body outside the cave. The rain was still falling, wetting them and the dead man they were holding.

"Oh SHIT! Where's the truck?" Jared yelled.

"Fucking Leah," Paul snapped dropping his end of the body.

"What the hell man!" Jared yelled again, "pick him up!"

"What are we going to do with no truck? Carry him the whole way!"

"Think Sue would let us use her car?" even as Jared said it, he knew she wouldn't. They were going to have to haul this body all the way back to the National Park without a vehicle.

-o-

Skylar ran all the way back to the North control room. Noel was waiting for her with an angry expression on his face.

"You FED him!" Noel snapped at her. "What were YOU thinking!"

"We always give them a final meal," Skylar blubbered. "I just thought that.."

"Shut up, Skylar," Noel waved his hand in the air. "I need you to collect blood."

"You want me to what?" Skylar hesitated.

"We need human blood for the execution and Kennard has offered to be our donor."

"I have?" Kennard looked up at Noel in surprise. The Prince never discussed this with him.

"Come on, both of you," Noel ordered as he left the room walking down the hall to his office. He threw a large plastic suitcase at Skylar. "Everything you need should be in there."

Skylar look down at the label **Blood Collection Kit. **

"Noel, I'm not a trained phlebotomist," she told him nervously.

"She certainly isn't," Kennard's voice was filled with worry. "Perhaps we should…"

"Skylar is doing it and that's FINAL," Noel snarled. "You can use one of the bunks in maximum to lie down. And don't take forever, Cloisonne will be here shortly."

Skylar and Kennard exchanged a worried look. Neither of them was comfortable with this assignment.

-o-

With the body strapped to an old plastic sled, Paul and Jared attached the harnesses loosely around their chests. They gave themselves plenty of extra space to allow for their wolf forms.

"This sled is going to leave a trail," Paul observed.

"You want me to strap a dead body to you instead?" Jared asked.

"Not really, but I think it would be less obvious."

"Alright then," Jared said as he unfastened the harness. "Get ready and I'll tie him on."

"Fuck," Paul muttered but he freed himself of the straps and phased.

Jared removed the body from the sled and laid it on Paul's back. As he reached for some rope the body slid off and fell to the ground.

"You have to hold STILL," Jared told his brother wolf. His comment was met with a growl.

He set the body in place again and began wrapping the rope around Paul's torso. He made sure it was nice and snug before tying the knot. Some fur got caught and Paul growled again.

"Sorry."

Jared worked as fast he could to secure the body, when suddenly Paul changed back to his human form.

"What the hell man!" Jared cried in exasperation for the third time as the body fell to the ground again.

"I just heard Sam, Embry and Quil," Paul told him. "They found three more bodies on the reservation!"

"Fuck!," Jared pressed his fists to his temples. "What are we supposed to do now?"

-o-

"I should have gone home," Kennard mumbled under his breath as Skylar looped the tourniquet around his bicep. He watched as she glanced at the instructions again before pressing her fingers against the inside of his elbow. She frowned and continued searching for a vein.

"We should phone Moira," Kennard suggested.

"By the time she gets here Noel will have both our asses," Skylar replied. "I don't like this any better than you do."

"You're not the one getting blood drawn!" Kennard exclaimed as he pulled his arm away. "Skylar, I'm sorry. I do not feel comfortable with this at all."

"You don't feel comfortable? What about me?" she waved the manual in his face. "This isn't something you can learn from a book."

Kennard took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Skylar, please don't hurt me too much."

"I'll do my best, Kennard," she said as she felt for his veins again. She found one that seemed promising and removed the plastic cap from the syringe with her teeth. "Here it goes," she warned as she held his arm down and stuck him with the needle.

"OOOOOW!" Kennard screamed and she immediately pulled back.

"Sorry."

"For the love of God Skylar, please call Moira," Kennard begged.

"Fine," Skylar put the cap back on the syringe and tossed it back in the plastic case. She was about to remove the tourniquet when she saw Cloisonne coming down the hall. _Shit._ She muttered under her breath and grabbed the syringe again. Skylar saw Kennard's confused look. "Cloisonne is coming," she whispered.

"What?" Kennard replied. His old human ears weren't as good they used to be.

Skylar took the cap off again and pretended to be looking for a vein.

"Why didn't you stick him yet?" Cloisonne asked as he came into the cell.

"Still looking for a vein," Skylar lied.

"Right there," Cloisonne dug his fingernail into Kennard's skin.

"oow!" Kennard responded.

Skylar cleared her throat uncomfortably then took Kennard's arm in preparation for the draw. She pressed the needle into his arm breaking the skin.

"AHHH!" Kennard screamed.

"What are you doing?" Cloisonne pulled her arm away, "incompetent bitch." He pressed his finger against the old man's bleeding arm. "Get me bandages, now!"

-o-

"Sam said we should do whatever the Elders tell us to," Jared reported to Paul as he phased back into wolf form.

"Sam can kiss my ass. I'm not leaving the reservation," Paul announced as he began pulling the body back toward the cave. "I'm going to make sure Rachel is alright. You should check on Kim."

"What are we going to do with John Doe? Leave him here? "

Paul looked at the corpse, "We could put him with the rest of the bodies."

"The rest of the bodies…," Jared repeated raking his fingers through his cropped hair. "This whole thing is a God damn nightmare."

"I'm going to the Black's house," Paul told Jared as he put on a pair of shorts. "If you're stayin' here, I'll check on Kim for you."

"No man, I'll do it," Jared reached for his own wet clothes. "Meet back here in a half hour?"

"Yeah."

-o-

Skylar fumbled through the case and handed Cloisonne a wad of gauze and tape. The Prince removed the tourniquet and skillfully wrapped the wound. He took Kennard's other arm and wrapped the tourniquet around his bicep.

"Make a fist," he told Kennard. He flicked his thick fingers against the old man's inner elbow. "Syringe," he said to Skylar. Once it was in his hand, he inclined the needle and pierced Kennard's skin. Blood began flowing into the syringe. "Collection bag," the Prince said aloud and Skylar handed it to him.

The blood began flowing into the bag at a steady pace. Cloisonne rested the apparatus on the bunk. "Keep flexing your hand, Kennard," he turned to Skylar, "think you can handle things from here?"

"Yes. Thank you," she replied.

"Make sure he drinks plenty of water," Cloisonne told her as he moved away from Kennard.

"I will," Skylar took his place on the bunk next to the old man.

"Have you spoken to Lashly?" Cloisonne asked her.

"A little while ago."

"I see," Cloisonne frowned, "for what it's worth, I'm sorry. It was beyond my control."

"You don't have to apologize for what Aislin did," Skylar shrugged.

"When you're finished bring the blood into E-block," Cloisonne looked at her sadly. Obviously Lashly hadn't told his wife about going back to the Legions.

"Ok."

Once Cloisonne was gone, Kennard let out a sigh of relief. "It seems we have a few minutes to ourselves," he said to Skylar. "I have some questions for you."

"You want to talk about Jacob, don't you?" Skylar folded her hands on her lap.

"Among other things."

-o-

"Look at this," Quil showed the smooth surface or the fallen tree to Sam. "If it fell on its own, this should be jagged and rough. "

Sam stepped over the body parts to examine the flat surface. Quil's discovery certainly shed a new light on things. If someone cut down the tree, they probably also knew what was inside.

"And over here," Quil continued, "are the footprints." Quil stood behind the impressions in the ground, "It looked like whoever did this stood right here and swung their axe." He backed up and gestured to more scattered tracks in the mud. "When they were done they walked over here," Quil led Sam along the short path. "See how the trail just disappears? I think they must have jumped into one of those trees. But I can't find where they came back down."

"What if they didn't come back down?" Embry asked. "What if they're still up there?" He looked cautiously into the treetops.

Sam's gaze followed Embry's. "If they were that close we would smell them," he began sniffing along the foliage. Even with the rain if it was a vampire he should be able to catch the scent but there was nothing.

"I didn't smell anything either," Quil told Sam.

"Do you think they could be invisible?" Embry asked as he continued looking up into the trees.

"Invisible?" Quil snorted. "That's ridiculous. How would they do it? Steal the one of the Rings of Power?"

"What are you talking about?" Sam stared at them.

"Lord of the Rings. They have these rings that can make a man invisible…. " Quil began to explain.

"Invisible vampires," Sam rubbed his temples. "What I want to know is what they used to cut this down. It would take forever with a normal axe. And there's no teeth marks so I don't think they used a hand saw."

"What about a chainsaw?" Embry suggested.

"I didn't hear a chainsaw," Quil told them.

"What about a machete?" Embry threw another idea out to his brothers.

"Or a sword?" Quil added.

Sam lowered his head. This situation was much more than he could handle on his own, even with the help of the Elders. Since Jacob was still missing, he was going to swallow every ounce of his pride and ask Leah. Hopefully she could come with something better than invisible vampires with swords.

-o-

"I'll admit, you and Jacob had me on the edge of my seat – Literally," Kennard told Skylar. "For a moment I thought you were going to…. Well," Kennard paused then decided to start the conversation on a different topic. "What did you and Lashly talk about?"

"There was a fight at the concert tonight and his nose got broken," Skylar told him. "And he didn't even tell me that. I heard it from Isaza when I was in South. I don't know why he doesn't talk to me. It's like everything he does is a big secret that only his team can know about. I mean would it have been THAT big of deal to mention that Aislin broke his nose?"

"Why did Aislin break his nose?"

"I don't know Kennard! I guess she just wanted to prove how strong she is, like we don't already know."

"I see."

"I wish Lashly would just talk to me. We used to talk all the time when I first moved here, but ever since the wedding he seems to be in his own little world."

"Skylar, I know you don't want to, but I feel the only way to resolve this is for the three of us to sit down and openly discuss your concerns."

"I can't talk about this anymore. Let's finish this on Tuesday," Skylar told the doctor as she adjusted the collection bag.

"Shall we discuss Jacob?" Kennard asked her.

"NO."

"We'll talk Tuesday."

"Fine," Skylar fussed with the bag once more before hanging it from the side of the bunk. "I'm going to get some water for you. Be right back." She left the cell and went down the hall and up the stairs toward the control room. She was still several feet away from the kitchen when she overheard the Princes talking to each other.

"You shouldn't feel guilty," Noel said, "It's not your fault he can't keep the loyalty of his own team."

"He's a _good_ leader though, I hate to see him back in the Legions," Cloisonne told his brother. "I'm going to talk with Nelson. Perhaps I might convince him to give Lashly another chance."

"If I were you I wouldn't get involved," Noel answered. "It might be interpreted as favoritism."

"A valid point," Cloisonne admitted.

Skylar sank back against the wall. She knew she only heard part of the conversation, but it sent her mind spinning. Lashly was going back to the Legions. As soon as she got home, she and her husband were going to have a LONG talk.


	45. Chapter 44 Tea Party

a/n: unique19 asked me to clarify Lashly's demotion so here it goes:

The Hunting Team hieracrchy is a dictatorship based entirely on loyalty and trust. Lashly lost the trust of his team when they found out he was trying to recruit Aislin behind their backs. In what can best be described as a 'mutiny' the Team told Cloisonne that they no longer trusted Lashly, which could be catastrophic when they are in the field hunting. The team rallied behind Nelson and so Cloisonne designated him the new Leader. The irony of this is that Lashly led a mutiny against his old Team Leader, Rocky (a whole other story...) - and ended up securing the position for himself. Don't feel bad for Rocky though - he had it coming.

* * *

Chapter 44 - Tea Party

"MUCH better," Paxton spun the chair around to face the mirror. "I had to cut it a little shorter than usual but your hair grows fast," she fluffed the dark locks and sprayed them with hairspray.

"Thank you," Mia said as she looked in the mirror at herself. There was no trace of the damage that had been done to her hair.

"What about eyebrows?" the blonde ran her fingers above Mia's eyes. "I could even them out. It would just take a couple minutes to heat up the wax."

"Not tonight," Mia laughed. Paxton was a born salesperson.

"You would be amazed at the difference it makes," her sister continued. "Na'ahkul, what do you think?"

"Why are you asking him?" Mia laughed harder.

"Because I know you won't listen to me," Paxton made a face, letting Mia see the reflection in the mirror.

"I think the eyebrows can wait," Mia said as she began getting up from the chair. "Give me a minute to take Na'ahkul home, ok?"

"Paxton," Na'ahkul stood up and walked toward them, "if I could have just a few moments of your time, please."

"She's married," Mia told him, "don't embarrass yourself."

"I would like to talk to her about other matters," Na'ahkul said as his face flushed.

"Like what?"

"I have some questions about Magic," he replied.

"You can ask me," Mia replied.

Paxton began sweeping the floor. The Lycan didn't appear to be a threat, but her sister was in 'territorial mode' and so she stayed in the background.

"How did your sister bring us here? What other powers does she have? Where is your coven?" Na'ahkul began rattling off questions.

The witches exchanged a look.

"How much are you going to tell him?" Paxton asked as she leaned on the top of the broomstick.

"I'm not telling him shit," Mia answered. "He was with a warlock."

"And you brought him here! Dammit Sammie!" Paxton threw down the broom angrily.

"I didn't bring him here," Mia yelled back. "He grabbed me. There was nothing I could do."

"My interaction with the warlock is NOT what you think," Na'ahkul defended himself. "I sought him out to learn more about Magic."

"And how'd that go?" Mia crossed her arms over her chest.

"Not well," Na'ahkul admitted. "I'm glad you killed him."

"You killed a WARLOCK!" Paxton gasped covering her mouth. "Oh my God Sammie!"

"I did?" Mia said uncertainly.

"Yes," Na'ahkul nodded, "We thought you were an assassin."

"I killed a warlock," Mia looked at her sister then back at Na'ahkul. "Are you SURE he was dead?"

"Very sure," Na'ahkul replied. "He was decapitated."

"You killed a Warlock!" Paxton sang as she embraced her sister. "We have to celebrate! Let me get the pie." Paxton shuffled off toward the back room. "Mom would be so proud of you, Sammie," she said before disappearing behind the partition.

"So I take it killing a warlock is a good thing?" Na'ahkul asked uncertainly.

"Oh hell yeah," Mia grinned. "Why didn't you mention that earlier?"

"I thought you knew?" Na'ahkul lsmiled uncomfortably. _How did she not know she killed someone?_

-o-

"There's no sign of him or Samia," Sandhu told Rakeesh.

"Keep looking! They couldn't have gone far," replied Rakeesh. He was angry at Na'ahkul, but at the same time worried sick. They shouldn't have been left alone together. If anything happened to the young protégé, he'd never forgive himself. He looked around the room again. All of Samia's things were gone, but Na'ahkul's belongings were still here, including his cell phone.

Rakeesh took followed behind Sandhu as they went out in the streets, trying to catch Na'ahkul's scent. No matter how hard they tried, none was to be found. As the minutes passed their uncertainty grew.

The minutes turned into an hour and Rakeesh was forced to make a desperate phone call.

-o-

"So you're really sisters?' Na'ahkul looked back forth between the two women. They were like night and day, literally. Paxton's pale golden features were so light and dainty compared to Samia's dark locks and tanned skin.

"Yes," Paxton smiled. He wasn't the first person to question their blood relation. "We have different fathers," she explained.

"Delicious!" Mia interrupted scraped the remaining crumbs from her plate. The unknown identity of her birth father was a very sensitive issue and not one she wanted brought up in front of Na'ahkul.

"Thank you," Paxton smiled as she cleared the countertop where the three of them were eating.

When she went into the backroom, Mia leaned over to Na'ahkul, "Why are you so interested in Magic?"

"Because I don't know very much about it. I have several theories but I can never seem to get a straight answer from anyone as to whether or not they are even possible."

"What kind of theories?" Mia leaned her head against her hand. She wasn't sure what, if anything she would tell him, but she wanted to get an idea of what he already knew (or at least thought he did).

Na'ahkul sat there for a moment contemplating what to tell her. He usually referred to Rakeesh for council….Rakeesk! He suddenly realized how long he'd been gone. "Can I use the phone?" he asked Mia.

"Not until you answer a few questions."

"He can use the phone," Paxton answered as she came back into the room. "Here, she took a cordless phone from the small receptionist desk and handed it to him.

"Thank you," Na'ahkul said as he hurriedly dialed Rakeesh.

Mia got up and went to stand next to her sister, swiping the phone message pad and a pen as she passed the desk. She jotted the words quickly and showed the pad to Paxton.

_He's hiding something BIG_

"So what do you want me to do?" her sister asked, keeping her voice low.

_Truth Spell_

"I don't have my spell…er, journal," Paxton corrected herself.

"Use mine," Mia opened her magic bag and took out her own spell book. "Do you need anything else?"

"This is all I need," Paxton held the book in her hands. "Just keep him busy for about ten minutes while I make some _tea,_" she winked at her sister.

-o-

Rakessh was about to begin dialing when the phone started to ring. The caller ID showed a number he'd never seen before.

"Hello?" he answered in English.

"Rakeesh!" Na'ahkul's voice was on the other end of the line. "I can't talk long. I just wanted to let you know that I'm fine and I will be back in a little while.

"Where are you?" Rakeesh switched from English to their native Hindi tongue.

"I'm in the United States."

"You can't be. You've been gone just over an hour!"

"But I am."

"How?"

"Teleportation!" he said excitedly, "I will tell you all about it when I return."

"Na'ahkul," Rakeesh wanted to ask more questions .

"Trust me on this, please!"

"If anything happens to you…"

"Believe me, I am very safe here. I will be back in a few hours," Na'ahkul told him then disconnected the call.

Getting up from the chair, he put the phone back and went to the front door. He parted the blinds and peeked through to the world outside the salon.

"So what kind of theories do you have about magic?" Mia stood next to him glancing out into the familiar street at the four large colonial houses directly across from them.

"For one, you've proven to me that hybrids do exist. Now I wonder how your abilities impact each other, since you are made up of two different species."

"If you haven't already figured it out," Mia gestured to the noticeable burns, "I heal faster than a normal person, but not as fast as a Lycan."

"What happens when you change form?"

"It hurts. A lot," Mia emphasized. "I don't do it unless I absolutely have to."

"It probably hurts so much because you don't have a proper diet," he told her. "You need to eat more meat."

"Thanks, I'll take that under advisement." She already knew about the diet. Unfortunately in order to maintain her magic properly, meat was the one thing she couldn't eat.

"Can you use magic in your true form?"

"Not successfully," Mia shook her head.

"So you choose to stay like this all the time," he gestured to her human body, "so you can use your magic."

"That's true to a point," Mia leaned against the wall, "the real truth is, I feel more comfortable on two legs than four."

When he looked at her, she could see a bit of disappointment. She realized that telling him she didn't care for her Lycan form may have insulted him, but she was being completely honest. After that summer in Jamaica, she made the decision to continue her Magic Lessons, albeit remotely and without Marco, her mentor.

"Perhaps one day, you will change your mind," he said hopefully.

"Maybe."

"Tea's ready," Paxton called out as she came out of the back carrying three large mugs. "Sammie," she handed her sister a mug, "and Na'ahkul," she passed him one as well. "Be right back with the sugar," she gave her sister their secret hand sign and went into the back once more.

Mia stirred her tea and watched Na'ahkul gazing dreamily after her sister. This was going to be too easy.


	46. Chapter 45 The Rebellion

This is a continuation of the last chapter....

* * *

Chapter 45 – The Rebellion

Paxton and Mia kept up a light conversation, leaving Na'ahkul nothing to do but sip his tea and listen to their chatter. When he set the cup down on the counter it prompted Paxton to inquire, "Would you like a refill?"

"No thank you," said Na'ahkul.

The witches exchanged a glance and Mia nodded to Paxton that it was time to begin.

"Na'ahkul, who do you think is prettier, me or my sister?" Mia asked him watching as Paxton rolled her eyes.

"You are both lovely," Na'ahkul began, "but Paxton is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." Mia saw the shock in his eyes as he covered his mouth.

"Would you sleep with her?" Mia continued.

"Even though she's pregnant I would in a heartbeat," Na'ahkul responded with a horrified look on his face.

"Ok, Sammie," Paxton interrupted, "I think you've successfully embarrassed him enough."

"I didn't mean to say that out loud, I…I..," he was stuttering, "don't know what's come over me."

"I'm getting more tea," Paxton announced, "Mia, Na'ahkul would you like another cup?"

"No, it tasted awful," Na'ahkul said quickly covering his face with his hands. "Why am I saying these things?"

Mia almost felt bad for him, but he brought this on himself. If he would have told her what she wanted to know earlier she wouldn't have had to resort to this.

"Why did you go to see the warlock?' Mia asked.

"To see if he would help us with the Rebellion." Na'ahkul looked up at her angrily, "What have you done to me?"

"Rebellion," Mia's voice was barely a whisper. There was a Rebellion against King Harper. Her stomach felt as though it was full of lead.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?" Na'ahkul was on his feet and shaking hard.

"Sammie!" Paxton came out of the back and saw the Lycan on his feet, looming over her sister. "Sammie!"

"Who's leading the Rebellion?" Mia asked him.

"Rakeesh is representing me," he yelled at her.

"YOU!" Mia's jaw hung open.

"I want answers now," he demanded as his hands gripped the armrests of her chair tightly.

"It's a truth spell," Mia admitted, "It will wear off very soon."

"A SPELL?" his eyes widened as he looked over at Paxton. "It was you, you did this."

"Hey," Mia snarled. "Don't bring her into this."

Na'ahkul backed away from them, his chest heaving with heavy breaths. He was under a spell, their spell. He knew he'd already said entirely too much. He needed to get away from them, and so he tore the front door open, breaking the lock and ran out into the street.

"Holy shit!" Paxton exclaimed as she looked at the front door to her shop. "He ripped it open with his bare hands."

"I don't know where he thinks he's going," Mia looked out the door.

"You should go after him," Paxton told her, "I'll see if I can get someone to come fix this."

"It's almost midnight, you should go home. I'll handle it," Mia told her sister.

"Speaking of home," Paxton sighed, "Have you been home yet?"

"No, I came right here, why?"

"Sammie, I think you should sit down for this," Paxton took her hand and led her to a chair. "Jason moved out."

"Oh that," Mia frowned.

"You already knew?"

"I popped in for about ten minutes a few days ago and I saw his note."

"You were here and didn't call me!"

"I couldn't deal with it then. I needed some time."

"You still should have called."

"I know."

"So I have the papers here if you want to get it over with."

"Why do you have them?"

"Jason wanted me to sign them with my Power of Attorney."

"Can you _do_ that?"

"Yes, I can. And I wanted to believe me, I wanted to. But I thought you should at least know about it, before I signed them."

"Don't do anything yet," Mia grasped at her newly cut and styled hair. "I'll deal with Jason myself."

"But this is your chance Sammie!" Paxton grabbed her sister's shoulders. "I know you. I know you would have left him a long time ago, but you didn't want to hurt him. So now that HE left you - you're free! You and Lashly can finally be together! It's like a movie Sammie," Paxton was shaking her excitedly.

But Mia's mind had drifted away from the conversation. All she could think about was The Rebellion and how she had to tell Harper. Tell Harper that the man who saved her life…. Shit. If it wasn't for Na'ahkul she wouldn't be here right now. FUCK.

"I have to find Na'ahkul," Mia told Paxton.

"Were you even listening to me?" Paxton stared at her sister.

"Pax, I love you, but I can't do this right now," Mia walked away and grabbed her bag.

"And THIS is why you have all these issues, Sammie," Paxton followed right behind her. "You don't take care of the problems when they first happen. You wait until the shit hits the fan and then you come crying to me. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of dealing with all YOUR drama."

"Didn't you hear what he said? There's a REBELLION!" Mia yelled at her sister.

"Like I know what the fuck a rebellion is," Paxton rolled her eyes.

"It's BIG," Mia went into the back room to get her spell book.

"How big?" Paxton stayed right on her heels.

"If Na'ahkul gets enough support, he'll challenge Harper for the throne," Mia explained.

"And if he doesn't get enough support?" Paxton asked.

"Then someone will turn him in for treason and he'll be executed."

"That's a bit harsh," Paxton frowned. "So are you going to help him or something?"

"I don't know what I'm going to do," Mia rubbed her hands tiredly over her face. "But I need to find him. We can't have him walking around the Hollow under a truth spell. Who knows what he might tell people?"


	47. Chapter 46 and 47?

**a/n: Having some technical difficulty. The chapter numbers mysteriously disappeared during a cut/paste marathon. Please bear with me. Gemma. **

* * *

Amnesty:

With her magic bag over her shoulder and her blade by her side, Mia walked down Main Street at a brisk pace. The wind was in his favor, not hers and it made tracking Na'akhul a tad more challenging than she'd anticipated. She tried to focus on her mission but as she walked down the familiar street of the town she'd come to love, memories flooded her mind.

There was the Laundromat where she and Jason used to wash their clothes before they bought their house. The Bakery (the only place that made good cannolli according to her best friend, Carmen) and the Italian Deli (where she'd eaten lunch so many times) were right across the street. At the corner of Main and State Streets was the Memorial Park where she'd hung out all during high school. Glancing over behind the large Monument she saw a group of teenagers and smiled to herself remembering all the good times that she'd had in her youth. That was before her sister died and before she was chosen to hold the blade. Since then good times were few and far between.

As Mia turned the corner the wind died down and she caught Na'akul's scent. It was strong, so she knew he had to be close. There weren't too many places to hide on State Street. The town municipal buildings took up most of the block. Mia walked across the parking lot to the field adjacent to the elementary school.

He was sitting on a swing in the play area and looked over as she approached. She heard the low rumble telling her to stay away, but she ignored it. She was about ten yards when he got off the swing and turned to face her, rumbling again.

"Na'ahkul, we need to talk," Mia held up her hands in submission.

"Go away, Samia," he growled lowering his gaze and tensing his body.

"It's not safe for you to be alone in this condition."

"Why did SHE do this to me?"

"Because I asked her to."

"Why? So you could learn my secrets and use them to blackmail me?"

"You didn't give me a choice."

They were within striking distance of each other and Mia could see how agitated he was becoming.

"What do you want from me?" he glared.

"I just wanted the truth," Mia said sadly, "and now that I know – I wish I didn't."

"That makes two of us. I suppose now you will take me to the King and tell him of my treason."

"Na''akhul…"

"I am prepared to die for The Rebellion, but don't think for a moment that no one will take my place. There is much unrest in our Nation and Harper's time will be coming to an end very soon. If you were smart, you would forego the amnesty awarded for notifying the King of our intentions and you would join us. We are strong and we will take the throne from Mfalme Harper. Do not underestimate us, Samia."

He was still under the spell and Mia knew every word he just said was indeed true. There was unrest, and if Na'ahkul didn't challenge Harper someone else would. If the Rebellion was as powerful as Na'ahkul had alluded to, they would not stop until the Lycan Nation had a new King.

"Stop Na'ahkul – just stop," She ordered as she rubbed her temples. "I don't want to hear any more about The Rebellion."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because," she lowered her voice, "you're under a spell right now and I didn't want you talking to anyone."

"And telling them about you and your sister," Na'ahkul crossed his arms and smiled.

"We've lived here a very long time without anyone knowing about us, and we'd like to keep it that way."

"WITCH!" Na'ahkul screamed loudly. "She's a WITCH!"

-o-

"Where in Italy?" Rosalie asked Carlisle as she followed a few feet behind frantically trying to change their reservations, "Rome?"

"Rome?" Emmett asked, "as in the Volturi? I thought we were done with that. Why would they take Nessie?"

"It's not the Volturi," Carlisle answered distractedly fumbling with his bag. "Rose, try to get us as close to Venice as you can."

Edward stepped in front of Carlisle, "Who is Alavaro?"

"Edward, a little privacy please," Carlisle responded, annoyed that Edward was reading his mind.

His tone rubbed Edward the wrong way. "What are you hiding from us Carlisle?" he demanded.

"This is not the time to discuss it," Carlisle snapped at him.

Edward grabbed the front of Carlisle's shirt, glaring at him, "You have no right to keep this information from me. Nessie is MY child and so help me if _anything_ happens to her…."

"Edward calm down," Jasper tried his best to soothe the angry vampire. Alice and Esme worked to loosen his grip on Carlisle's shirt.

"Tell ME," Edward pulled Carlisle closer to him, knocking Alice out of the way.

"We'll discuss it LATER," Carlisle reached his hands in between Edward's. There was a ripping sound as Carlisle broke away from Edward's grasp.

"Don't walk away from me, Carlisle," Edward hissed.

"When you start acting civilly we'll talk," Carlisle responded gesturing to Rosalie to follow him.

No one was prepared for Edward to fly across the waiting area and knock Carlisle into the row of chairs. The loud cracking of the plastic caused everyone nearby to look their way.

"Fuck," Jasper muttered under his breath as he and Emmett ran quickly, but at a humanly pace to break up the fight.

"Nothing to see people!" Rosalie growled at the bystanders as she, Alice and Esme tried to dissolve the crowd that was forming.

It took both of Edward's brothers to restrain him. Jasper's empathic ability was tested as he tried to force the fury in Edward to subside. Esme sat next to Carlisle, rifling through what little they had brought in their carry on bags for a new shirt. She could tell Carlisle was incredibly distressed and she wasn't sure if there was anything she could do to help him.

Alice and Rose stood nearby, thinking the same things as the other members of their coven. Who was the vampire Alavaro? Did he have something to do with Nessie's disappearance? And the most profound question of all, what was Carlisle hiding from them?

-o-

"Shut up!," Mia shouted as she glanced around to make sure no one was within ear shot. But Na'ahkul had other plans. He ran from her screaming at the top of his lungs, "Samia is a WITCH!" As furious as she was, the fact that he was acting so childishly while in an elementary school playground brought a slight smile to her face.

She teleported right in front of him. He was so busy looking over his shoulder that he ran right into her, knocking them both to the ground. Mia wrapped her arms around him and teleported again.

Unfortunately due to their positioning, Mia didn't have enough time to slip out from under him. She barely had enough time to turn her head as chunks of half digested pie coated in tea landed in her hair. She closed her eyes to the sound of Na'akhul's gagging, reminding herself that she needed to think things through before acting. At least this time, her life wasn't in danger.

A door banged open and she heard several voices. She felt the weight lesson on her chest as they helped Na'ahkul to his knees.

"What have you done to him?" Rakeesh demanded as he yanked Mia to her feet. The vomit saturated hair slapped the side of her face and she could feel it running down her cheek to her neck.

"Nothing," Mia spat back at him, attempting to wriggle free of the old man's grasp.

"Don't think I'm letting go of you," he snarled tightening his grip. "You're not leaving until we get some answers."

Mia stopped fighting him. She could wait until his guard was down to escape.

"Na'ahkul, are you alright?" Rakeesh asked the man who was still on his knees wiping his face with his shirt.

"She knows, Rakeesh," he told his mentor, "She took me to a witch who put me under a spell. I told them both everything."

"Well that certainly changes things," Rakeesh glowered. He dug his nails into Mia's arms. She felt the prick as her skin broke.

"You have two choices Samia," he told her, "Join us or forfeit your life."

"I will do neither," Mia answered. "As a member of The Society, I have immunity."

"The Society?" Rakeesh said with a laugh. "Your lies will get you killed Samia. I am personally acquainted with Josette – the _only_ female Lycan bounty hunter."

"Then call her," Mia said smugly. "Tell her you threatened Samia Davenport. See what she says, Rakeesh."

"I assure you, I'm not bluffing," Rakeesh countered.

"Neither am I," Mia's gaze narrowed. "Call her."

"Get Josette on the phone," Rakeesh called to the group of Lycans. "You are going to regret this, Samia," he growled.

-o-

"Where's Bella?" Alice asked suddenly.

"Oh God!" Edward gasped leaping to his feet. "NO!" he wailed moving hastily through the waiting room and into the terminal. The rest of the Cullens followed close behind.

"She has to be here somewhere," Rose told her brother.

"She better be."

Edward scanned the minds of every entity nearby. He stopped in his tracks when he heard the child's thoughts.

_Why is that lady crying red tears Mommy?_

The vampire pushed through the crowd until he saw her sitting by herself staring down at her cell phone. He heard Rose behind him telling the others that they found Bella. Without a word he stood beside her, hugging her and kissing the top of her head. He caught a glimpse of her cell phone display, a picture of the three of them, and he nearly began crying too.

"We'll find her, Bella," he pressed his lips against her soft hair, "I swear we'll find her."

Bella's head nodded slightly. A red tear fell onto the LCD display.

"We have to talk to Carlisle," Edward told her. "He's been keeping something from us."

He reached for her hand and led her away from the crowd and back to their family. The child's thoughts coming into his mind again:

_I think that lady and her boyfriend had a fight. Do you think he'll give her flowers Mommy? Like Daddy does for you._

Edward looked at his wife, wishing she would let him in her head. Especially now. He wanted to hold her, soothe her, comfort her but for once he couldn't quite think of the perfect things to tell her. His mind was full of hard thoughts and suspicions. The last thing he wanted was to wait here for a flight to Europe, but there was nothing else they could do.

As they approached the rest of the family, Carlisle stepped forward to meet them.

"Our flight boards in two hours," he told them. "If you'd like, we can find someplace to talk," he said softly, "I suppose I owe you both an explanation."

* * *

Once Upon a Time:

Bella and Edward followed Carlisle into the enormous parking garage of JFK airport. The elder vampire chose a secluded spot behind a large concrete pillar. It offered privacy and obstructed the view of any human who might come their way.

"I know that you will have questions," Carlisle began, "but I ask that you let me tell the entire story before asking." He ran his pale hand through his thick blonde locks. "I have never told anyone this story, and I ask that you keep this to yourselves."

Carlisle paced a few steps away, his shoes clicking against the cement. "From the moment I was turned, I have always tried to maintain the sanctity of human life. To this day, I believe in my heart that **I** was in the right, that I did nothing wrong. However, I am the only one of our kind who feels that way."

"It happened while I was studying in Italy just after I became acquainted with the Volturri. While they are the oldest and most powerful coven in Italy, they are far from the only vampires in that country. I was traveling through Venice when I saw them at the market place. At that time, I had not turned anyone and so I was very eager for the company of others like me. I stayed at a distance observing them. I knew they had seen me, but they made no attempt to speak with me. I suppose I stood out," Carlisle pinched a few strands of his light colored hair, "among all the locals. People were very suspicious of strangers back then."

"Since it was clear they were not going to engage me in conversation, I decided to approach them and introduce myself. Unfortunately I learned most of my Italian from the Volturri in their dialect. The Venetian dialect had a few distinct differences," Carlisle smiled weakly, "I'd barely completed a sentence when Giovanna slapped me across the face. It seems I inadvertently insulted her."

"Fortunately, her father was more forgiving. When I told him I was traveling alone, he graciously offered me lodging with them during my stay in Venice. Of course they were," Carlisle frowned, "repulsed by my diet. They seemed to think it made me less of a vampire. I tried to explain my vegetarianism, but my lack of fluency in their dialect posed some issues in our communication."

"After I stayed with them a few days, I learned that they owned a vineyard several miles outside Venice. I had a weakness for wine in those days and was very interested in seeing their land. Giovanna offered to accompany me and so we left that evening at sunset. We journeyed across the countryside under the star covered sky," Carlisle lowered his head. "You don't see stars like that anymore," he remarked with a note of nostalgia.

"When we arrived at their farmhouse she introduced me to her brother, Alavaro," Carlisle saw the recognition on Edward's face as he mentioned the vampire's name. "There were a few other entities there with which I was not very comfortable, but Giovanna assured me that they were loyal to the family and I was not in danger. I had great difficulty believing that a house full of demons posed no threat so Alavaro offered to take me to their _other_ home on the far side of the vineyard."

"The other home was a small stone castle, meticulously built with painstaking detail. Very Count Dracula-esque, if you'll pardon the pun. There were smaller buildings on the property as well, including several barns and a few cottages. But what caught my attention was the large pasture full of horses. They were some of the finest animals I had ever seen. The Merulla family had been breeding horses for centuries and their expertise was quite apparent."

"I cannot tell you how arrogant Alavaro was when it came to those horses. He boasted with more conceit that anyone I'd ever known when he spoke of them. There was one mare who was a particularly remarkable specimen. She was his pride and joy," Carlisle paused there for a moment. "I'll imagine you can extrapolate what happened."

Edward's brow wrinkled, his face went from disbelief to anger, "You fed on his horse."

"It was either the horse or one of the stable hands," Carlisle said defensively.

Bella's eyes darkened as she stepped toward Carlisle with contempt. "Are you telling me that because you ate someone's horse two hundred years ago, he has stolen OUR daughter for revenge?"

"Yes," Carlisle said softly, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry!" Bella screamed at him rushing forward with her newborn strength, "You're SORRY!"

Edward tried to restrain her, but she threw him nearly twenty feet through the air.

"What kind of psychopath holds a grudge for two hundred years?" Bella demanded.

"You'd be surprised how quickly two hundred years passes by, Bella," Carlisle said tenderly. "And he is far from a psychopath. In fact he is a very formidable enemy."

"How formidable?" Edward asked.

"To put it in perspective," Carlisle frowned, "He belongs to an organization more powerful than the Volturi."

"I thought you said the Volturi was the MOST powerful coven of vampires," Bella shouted, looking back forth between them, "Was that a lie?"

"No," Carlisle said gently, "That was not a lie. Among our kind, the Volturi rule. However, vampires are not the only species in this world Bella. Alavaro belongs to The Society."

"Isn't The Society a group of bounty hunters?" Edward asked.

"That's correct," Carlisle replied.

"With absolute immunity to any law except their own," Edward continued.

Carlisle nodded.

"So how are we supposed to get Nessie back from a bunch of insane renegade assassins?" Bella exclaimed.

"They're bounty hunters not assassins, Bella" Edward put his arm around her shoulders. "They don't kill their captives."

"Edward is exactly right, Bella," Carlisle looked sympathetically at them. "They do not kill."

"But they do torture, maim, _rape_….," Edward shook with fury as he spoke Carlisle's thoughts aloud.

* * *

**a/n: None of the above will happen to Nessie. Hope you don't mind the spoiler.**


	48. Chapter 48 Interview with the Vampire

Interview with the Vampire

"Excellent, Nessie," Alavaro commended his young pupil. "I believe you have surpassed my own fluency."

"Thank you," Nessie replied timidly. She wasn't quite sure what to think of this vampire. He demanded her undivided attention and was quick to reprimand her, but she also sensed he had a genuine interest in teaching her.

"Can I ask you a question?" she continued closing the book that sat in her lap.

"I do not guarantee answers," he told her, "but you may ask me anything you wish."

"How old are you?" Nessie asked as she tried to estimate for herself.

He was tall, but not quite the height of her father. His build was much slimmer, almost skinny as though he hadn't had a proper diet when he was human. It wasn't something you noticed at first, his suit was cut in such a way that it made him seem thicker. But as he sat in the chair, she noticed the way his bones jutted out against his olive skin. His kneecaps and elbows were very pointy, the bumps on his wrists and ankles were prominent. In contrast his face showed no sign of malnutrition. His dark brown eyes resided under thick bushy eyebrows. He looked menacing, even when he was smiling – like now. Nessie watched as he chuckled at her question.

"How old am I?" he repeated. "To be perfectly honest child, I have no idea."

"You don't know how old you are?" Nessie was astounded. Her entire family knew the exact date and time of their births and transformations.

"Let me explain something, Nessie," he leaned closer to the circle. "When I was boy the world was a very different place. My family was poor and so I was sold to a wealthy landowner…"

"Your family SOLD you!" Nessie exclaimed.

"I assure you, in my village it was common practice to sell children," he said reassuringly. "I have no idea how 'old' I was, just that I was strong enough to carry buckets of water and sacks of flour, which was to be my job."

"So you never went to school?"

"Boys of my station were never tutored," Alavaro informed her. "I worked in the kitchens helping the women and then when I was bigger," he smiled broadly, "I was allowed to work in the stables. At first I just cleaned and fed the horses, but then I discovered I had a certain talent for breaking them. So I was allowed to handle and train the horses, and that became my life's passion."

"So when did you become a vampire?" Nessie asked. She sat and waited for his response. After a few moments of silence passed she knew this was one of the questions he wouldn't answer.

"We should get back to our lessons," he said eventually. "Femke will be very surprised when she returns."

"Femke is your friend," Nessie deduced from his earlier comments.

"She is a good friend," he admitted.

"Is she a vampire too?"

"Yes."

"Did you turn her?" Nessie asked curiously.

"No," he answered flatly.

"So how do you know her?"

"She's a co-worker."

"From the stables?"

"No, I have a different job now."

"oh," Nessie said under her breath as another book slid across the floor. She picked it up obediently and began to read.

-o-

"I can't believe you're going to be clumsy for eternity," Alice chirped trying to lighten the tense mood. Bella stood at the sink, half heartedly wiping a coffee stain from the front of her shirt. She'd been so angry with Carlisle that she hadn't been watching where she was going and crashed into two people who both had open cups of hot coffee.

"We're going to find her, Bella," Alice said reassuringly.

Bella spun around to face her, "How much do you know about Carlisle?"

"What are you talking about?"

"How many enemies does he have out there?"

"None that I can think of. I mean, there's a significant majority who don't agree with our lifestyle, but I wouldn't call them enemies," Alice paused, "Why would you ask that?"

"You can't see the past, right?" Bella avoided Alice's question. "Only the future."

"And what I see, doesn't always happen," Alice said slowly. "What did Carlisle tell you and Edward?"

"Nothing," Bella faced the sink again, picking at the large stain on her shirt.

"If you want to talk…."

"I DON'T," Bella snapped, immediately covering her face with her hands. "I'm sorry, Alice. I didn't mean.."

"It's ok," Alice reached out and hugged her. "I promise we are going to do everything we can to find her…"

Alice's voice wavered and her arms went limp.

"Alice," Bella watched as she dropped into one of her traces. In a split second she was back shaking her head and blinking furiously.

"Did you see something?" Bella asked hopefully.

"It was trivial, just an old man getting blood drawn. He was telling someone named Skylar not to hurt him," Alice sighed. "Don't worry, Bella. I know I'll see Nessie soon."

-o-

"To what do we owe the pleasure," Alavaro scoffed at Egan who had just woken up from his nap. The warlock ambled into the tiny kitchen, his joints cracking with every step. There was a low grunt as he opened the pantry doors and searched for something to eat.

"He's not a morning person," the vampire whispered to Nessie.

"Where'd she put the damn coffee?" came the grumbled reply. A few cabinets slammed shut and there was rhythmic banging. "What the hell," Egan muttered as he shuffled back into the bedroom.

He came out a few moments later with a large steaming cup in his hand.

"Starbucks?" Nessie read the logo on the cup and looked at Alavaro.

"Teleportation," he replied. "I'll never understand why such a gift was wasted on him."

"Shut up, before I turn you into one of those Cavemen from the commercials," Egan took the lid off his beverage and blew lightly into the hot liquid.

"Can he do that?" Nessie's eyes went wide.

"Probably," the vampire's replied.

"Probably!" Egan snorted. With a few choice words, he cast a glamour upon his fellow bounty hunter.

"Oh my God!" Nessie jaw dropped. Sitting only a few feet away from her was the Caveman. Alavaro's face was transformed, hair sprouted from everywhere but he still had his suit on which made it that much funnier.

"He didn't," Alavaro scowled as he saw the tuffs of hair sticking out from under his sleeves.

"He did," Nessie nodded trying very hard not to laugh.

"Does this amuse you?" the vampire roared to the warlock. "Reverse the spell right NOW!"

"When I'm done my latte," Egan replied casually, "and _only_ if you are a very good boy."

Nessie jumped in her skin as three swords flew through the air. Both of the men moved swiftly, the vampire had a single blade while the warlock had a pair. They sparred for a few minutes before it became quite clear that the vampire/caveman was at a disadvantage. Then suddenly he disappeared into thin air.

"Where did…?" Nessie began to say but the warlock had grabbed his coffee and threw it across the room. The child ducked and covered her head thinking she would be hit. When she felt nothing, she looked up and saw Alavaro's caveman fur dripping with latte. If he was angry before, he was positively seething now.

The warlock held his sides as he let out a whooping laugh.

"Change me back NOW!" Alavaro boomed.

"You didn't say please."

"I will not beg."

"Oh, Al," Egan wiped the tear from his eye, "you make me laugh."

"Do NOT call me Al."

Egan took a few deep breaths, grinning all the while. "I'll turn you back, _if_ you say one thing for me."

"And what would that be?"

"It's so easy, even a caveman could do it."

Nessie shuddered as the blades clashed together again. She was getting a little scared, and wanted nothing more than to go home to her family.

-o-

When Alice and Bella rejoined the rest of the Cullens they were getting ready to board the flight to Heathrow Airport. Rose's eyes dropped down to the stain on Bella's shirt and lifted to the scowl on her new sister's face. She fought the urge to say something. Instead she poked Emmett in the side, "Get my bag." He gave her a questioning look but picked up her bag without protest.

Standing in line, they waited for their tickets to be checked.

A phone rang, and they all looked at Esme. She reached into her bag and frowned as she looked at the display.

"Hello?" she said as she took the call.

"Yes, I'm Esme Cullen."

"No, This is my cell phone."

"Our alarm code? Why?"

"Oh crap," Esme glanced over at Carlisle, "It's the security company. The alarm went off, they think someone's broken into the house. What should we do?"

Carlisle lowered his head and let out a low humorless laugh. "Let them handle it. It's what we pay them for."

Esme nodded then spoke into the phone, "Yes, please send the police to investigate."

-o-

"I want it cleaned and pressed," Alavaro informed Egan as he handed the warlock his suit. "And take it to someone reputable, please."

Egan made a chatty mouth with his hand, bringing his fingers against his thumb as the vampire droned on about how he wanted his clothing cleaned. Nessie sat quietly in her little circle, pretending to read her book. She was hungry, but she was afraid to say anything to either of them. The girl was beginning to fear what would happen when Femke arrived.

"And don't take too long," Alavaro continued. "I simply cannot wear this," he gestured to the tee shirt and sweatpants he'd borrowed, "for an entire day."

"You need to get over yourself," Egan told him as he crammed the suit into a bag, "there's nothing wrong with what you're wearing."

"These trousers have elastic," he pulled at the waist letting snap back against his midsection.

"When are you going to accept that it's not the sixteenth century anymore," Egan muttered.

"I am very aware of the current year…"

"Are you ever going to drive a car?"

"There's no reason to…"

"Or fly in an airplane…"

"What are you getting at Egan?"

"It's time to let go of the past, Alavaro. Live in the new millennium."

"I have a cell phone," the vampire snapped.

"You have a cell phone, because The Society _issued_ it to you. You had no choice."

"Well I learned how to use it, didn't I?"

"Are the vampires in _your_ family like this?" Egan asked Nessie.

The child turned her head slightly, peering at the warlock through the curtain of her dark hair. "Are they like what?"

"Technology-phobic," Egan smiled.

"I am NOT technology-phobic," the vampire insisted.

"He always uses the stairs instead of the elevator. And you should see what happens when there's an escalator," Egan commented to Nessie.

"Remember the time we took you to the IMAX theater – Dear God!"

"Enough!" Alavaro yelled. "Go attend to your errands."

"Fine," Egan patted his pockets, "keys, phone…wallet…wallet…Oh there it is," he sank a hand into his jeans. "I shall return!" he announced before teleporting out of sight.

Nessie tilted her head and watched Alavaro fuss with his clothes. "You've never driven a car?" she asked.

"No," he replied.

"Why?"

The vampire sank deep into his own thoughts. Why? Because he'd never been shown how. There had never been a reason to learn. His fellow hunters always had the gift of teleportation. But now things were different. He ran his hands along the thick gray cotton of the pants he wore. Yes, things were changing.

And this vampire didn't handle change very well.


	49. Chapter 49 Between a rock

Chapter: Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place

There was a knock on the front door of the Cullen residence and Leah knew immediately who it was. She got up from the couch and stood at the glass panel beside the door.

"What do you want, Sam?"

"Can we talk?"

"No."

Leah walked away from the door and back to her position on the couch. He banged on the door even louder this time.

"Leah!"

"Leah!"

She folded her arms over her chest and remained in her seat. Shortly after that the knocking stopped. Leah was pleased with herself for ignoring the pseudo-Alpha's request.

Her senses were on alert. Even though he stopped banging on the front door she knew he hadn't gone far. Sure enough there was a banging sound coming from the Cullen's garage. She cursed herself for not locking the door behind her.

"Leah, I need your help," he said with genuine sincerity as he came into the room. It was a tone he hadn't used since he ended their romantic relationship. A sharp comment was about to leave her mouth, when she noticed the distraught look on his face. "Are you here alone?" his eyes swept through the first floor.

"Yes," Leah answered. "I guess they went hunting or something."

"In this weather?" Sam mumbled. "They must have been very hungry."

The two werewolves exchanged a glance and without a word began searching the house. ALL of the Cullens hunting in a thunderstorm was incredibly suspicious. Leah reprimanded herself for not thinking of that before Sam mentioned it. She dashed upstairs and checked the bedrooms while he went through the first floor.

-o-

"Were you two having a party?" Noel snapped at Skylar. "Go clean up the mess."

She looked at the monitor and saw Jacob running his hands through his hair and pacing around his cell. The last thing she wanted to do was go back down there. But a few moments of discomfort around Jacob was nothing compared to the lasting consequences of disobeying Noel.

She took her time getting down to the doorway, typing her code in as slowly as she could. She almost wished the door would malfunction, but it didn't. There was a click and the door opened without a hitch.

"Skylar, can we talk? Please," Jacob's voice was low, but insistent. She didn't want to get close to him, but unfortunately the mess was right in front of the cell.

"It's not the best time," she replied keeping her focus from his face. Sloppily she began sweeping up the debris from the floor.

"You and I… it's just… I think you're a nice person but…"

"Jacob, you don't have to explain," Skylar's melancholy half-smile made him feel even worse. "Believe me, you're not the first guy to say 'no thanks'. I'm not very attractive. I get it."

"It's not that…" Jacob began.

"Yes. It is," Skylar sighed. "If I was pretty…"

"No," Jacob said firmly, "it wouldn't have mattered…"

"So you _don't_ find me attractive," Skylar said looking up at him.

"What?"

"You just said that 'even if I was pretty, it wouldn't have mattered', meaning you don't think I'm very attractive."

"That's not what I said."

"Yes, it is." Skylar stood up and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well, that's not what I meant."

"What did you mean?"

-o-

"Vampire?" Rakeesh's surprised tone caught everyone's attention. "No, there was no vampire with her." He looked at Na'ahkul who shrugged unknowingly.

Mia cursed to herself. Of course Josette would bring up the one thing that she couldn't explain. Stupid Stupid Vampire. If he had been with her in the first place, none of this would have happened.

"Yes," Rakeesh looked at Mia. "Yes, Yes, No," he continued. The bounty hunter felt her palms beginning to sweat. She started thinking of ways to break free of his grip and teleport away.

"Thank you, Josette," the old man's satisfied grin made Mia want to punch him in the face. He clicked the phone closed and handed it to one of the other men.

"Josette told me something _very_ interesting about your line of work, Samia. It seems that bounty hunters always travel in pairs. So, if you are who you claim to be, it shouldn't be a problem for you to introduce us to your vampire companion. You have my word that we will show him the respect his station deserves."

"Let me make a call," Mia forced herself to sound confident as she reached into her bag. Holding her phone in one hand, she typed in her passwords and then opened her address book. His entry was at the top of the list, she selected it and hit send. _Please let him answer. Please._

-o-

Leah was upstairs in Nessie's room when she saw the cell phone sitting on the dresser. She picked it up and hit the power button. The screen lit up for a second, the battery light came on then the phone went dead.

"Fucking figures," Leah said aloud tossing the phone back on the dresser. She opened the drawers and rummaged through the contents, looking for anything of interest. Unfortunately, Nessie was a very boring child. Aside from mountains of clothes and jewelry there wasn't anything interesting.

She heard footsteps on the stairs, and peeked out into the hallway at Sam's tall figure coming toward her.

"They left town!" he exclaimed holding pieces of paper in his hands.

"What do you mean they left town?"

"Look at this stuff, flight departures, hotels…," Sam almost threw the papers at her.

"Where did you find this?" Leah scanned the handwritten notes jotted on the blank paper.

"In the trash," he answered.

"I KNEW it," Leah exclaimed as she ruffled through the papers.

"So what do we do now?"

"We charge this," Leah grabbed Nessie's phone. "Make a few calls and get some answers."

-o-

"I meant that even if you were a supermodel, you're married," Jacob replied.

"And that's why you pulled away. Because I'm married," Skylar looked at him skeptically.

"Yes," Jacob nodded. That was only part of the truth, but he didn't want to bring up Nessie again – considering Skylar's earlier sensitivity to their relationship.

"And if I wasn't married…," Skylar trailed off waiting for his reply.

"We don't even know each other, Skylar," Jacob gave her a slight smile. "But if the circumstances were different you never know what might have happened."

"Oh please, Jacob. I think you know exactly what would have happened – NOTHING." The sting of rejection struck her once again and she hastily returned to work.

"Skylar," Jacob objected.

"Let me do my job, ok?" Skylar growled.

"I never meant to hurt your feelings."

"Hands on your head," Skylar's voice was menacing.

"You don't even know me," Jacob said sadly. "Because if you did, you'd know I'm not like that. I'm not the kind of person who… I never even…," he sighed loudly.

Skylar watched as Jacob struggled to express himself. As she saw his inner turmoil rising in his expressions, she felt guilty. His time was running short, the last thing he should be worried about was offending her.

"Jacob, it's ok," she softened her tone.

"I just don't want you to think I'm a superficial jerk…,"

"SKYLAR!" Noel's voice boomed through the intercom.

"I gotta go," Skylar scrambled to pick up the rest of her things. "We'll talk later," she nodded to him.

"Yeah right," Jacob stared at the ground.

"We'll talk later," Skylar repeated.

"Ok," Jacob nodded.

-o-

Voicemail.

Mia cursed and hung up her phone. She had no idea what to do. She could probably find Alavaro through the blade and teleport there, but depending on where he was – bringing a Lycan with her might not be the best idea. But she knew she had to do something. Rakeesh's expression was even more arrogant then before.

She quickly dialed again, trying to reach Femke. If Egan could bring Femke here and glamour her to look like Alavaro… Mia knew she was grasping at straws. She should just kick ass, take names and then look for the demon. She caught Na'ahkul's concerned stare. He'd barely spoken since they'd been here, no doubt afraid that the spell was still on him. If they asked the right questions….

"Well, hello there," Egan answered the phone.

_Egan?_ Mia was caught off-guard. She glanced at the display on her phone, she meant to call Femke.

"I was looking for …." Mia swallowed hoping Egan would miraculously understand what she meant, "the vampire."

"'The Vampire'," the warlock chuckled. "He's not with me at the moment. Did you try his cell?"

"Yes," Mia tried to keep her words guarded.

"And he didn't answer?"

"No," she replied.

"Mia, are you in trouble?" Egan asked.

"Maybe a little," Mia glanced around the room.

"Do you need help?" he asked.

"I need a vampire."

"Uh, well Femke is, er, unavailable right now. Is there anything I can do?"

_Unavailable?_ What does that mean? Mia closed her eyes, resigning herself to the fact that she was going to have handle this on her own.

"No, Egan, but thank you for offering," she told him, hanging up immediately and shutting her phone off as she turned to face Rakeesh.

-o-

Leah and Sam were on their way downstairs when they heard a car pulling into the driveway. They looked at each other in confusion before making their way to the window.

"Is it the Cullens?" Leah asked as Sam peered through the blinds.

"No," there was a hint of fear in his voice. "It's the State Police."

"The _State_ Police," the words were barely audible as they left Leah's lips. She looked out the blind and saw a trooper shining a large flashlight on Sam's truck.

"Oh my God, Sam," Leah began trembling. "They're looking at your truck." She heard a low thump as Sam sank down to knees.

"Oh fuck," he whispered. "The body was in there."

"It's been raining, maybe they won't be able to tell," Leah muttered as she watched the trooper climb up on the back bumper, shining his flashlight in the bed.

"I am so fucked," Sam buried his head in his arms. "You should get out of here, Lee."

"Sam, I'm not leaving you."

"Leah, just go. There's no reason for both of us to get in trouble."

"Sam," Leah protested.

"GO," Sam's alpha voice pierced her mind, causing her temples to ache.


	50. Chapter 50 Bloodletting

**a/n: I think I'm skipping a chapter, but hopefully this will make sense.**

* * *

Chapter: Bloodletting

"Jacob, I'm so sorry," Skylar said softly as she smeared Kennard's blood all over his chest. "I'm so sorry." She felt as though she couldn't apologize enough for her actions.

Jacob writhed under the iron grips of Cloisonne and Noel. Try as he may to get free, they were the strongest werewolves he'd ever encountered and he found himself unable to escape. He didn't completely understand what the IV bag full of the BLUE substance was, but knew that it was the sole reason why he couldn't phase despite all his efforts.

He struggled again, grunting and growling, using every last bit of his strength. His right arm freed, he swung as hard as he could, connecting with only air. Then he felt the impact as his jaw snapped back. It rattled his skull causing him to see stars. He was thrown on his stomach roughly, his face pressing against the cold stone floor the taste of his own blood filling his mouth.

"I'm sorry," Skylar uttered again as if somehow the apology justified what she was forced to do. His russet skin was stained a red-orange, his shaggy dark hair matted together with the sticky wetness of human blood. In her heart she knew this desecration was just a show of power by the Princes and served no real purpose. The vampires hadn't fed in days, they'd be hungry enough without the added temptation. She looked at Noel and Cloisonne with contempt, Jacob wasn't the only guilty party in this cell.

"It's done," she told them, backing away slowly the empty plastic bag in her blood stained hands. Crimson droplets spattered down the bright yellow dress she wore as the tears welled in her eyes. No one deserved to be treated this way, especially not Jacob.

"Get up," Noel ordered as he and brother released their hold on the prisoner. Jacob pushed himself to feet and ripped the needle out of his arm. He was shaking hard with the beginning stages of rage. "Save it for your REAL enemies," Cloisonne sneered as they all exited the cell.

Jacob's chest swelled with hard breaths. The two coffins alongside the wall were vibrating. He could sense the hunger of the vampires within, they'd smelled the blood and they wanted it.

The hunting team rumbled to each other as they lined up for the release. The cell door was ajar and two large brown wolves were on either side. Another pair of wolves sat by the doorway, in case the hostiles tried to escape. The last two members were still in human form, so they could release the latches on the containment units.

There was a series of rumbles, a countdown of sorts and Jacob felt the tension rise as they all stood ready. One of the lids opened and the first vampire escaped. She was tall, blonde and of course nice looking in that eternal youth way. She reminded him of Rosalie and that just added to his desire to kill her.

The man who had freed her instantly transformed and snarled at her, prepared to strike. She looked frantically around the room before her gaze stopped on Jacob. Her nostrils flared as she discovered he was the source of the blood scent. Without much coaxing she rushed into the cell, the door slammed closed and Jacob charged at her. He burst into his wolf form tackling her down against the stone floor.

Losing all control he took out every last emotion on the female bloodsucker. She let out a high pitched scream as his sharp claws tore through her skin, shredding her limbs to pieces. He ripped through the sinuey muscle all the way down to the bone. She fought back, tearing chunks of fur from his shoulders and digging her fingers into his neck. In his rage, Jacob sunk his canines in to her neck, biting all the way through until he felt his teeth connect and her head drop to the floor. Both her body and cranium turned into a fine mist of dust that fell onto gray floor.

He had no time to stop and wonder why that happened because the other vampire was now entering the cell. This one was shorter, brunette and missing an arm. She was much more cautious than the dumb blonde and stayed against the bars. Jacob sprung into action launching his body directly at her, but she was faster than he expected. There was a loud bang as he crashed into the bars. Spinning around, a snarl plastered on his lips he charged again. His jaws clamped shut on empty space as she avoided him once again.

"Please don't hurt me," the vampire gasped as she backed into a corner of the cell. "I was just helping out an old friend, I swear," she looked at the small crowd outside the cell. "Please just let me go. I promise to never cross your borders again."

"If you kill him, you're free to go," Cloisonne told her with a wicked smile. He was lying, but she didn't know that.

Jacob's fur rose on its end as he charged at her. She slipped underneath him, raking her talon-like nails against his midsection. He felt the sting as they pierced his skin. Turning to charge at her, he realized she'd climbed up the bars and was now flying through the air toward him. There was no time for defense and her body slammed against his, tackling him to the floor. But she was handicapped, literally and with only one arm was unable to pin him down. Her hand closed around his throat and she squeezed hard cutting off his breath.

When the burning sensation in his lungs began, Jacob knew he needed to act fast. Using his massive body he rolled over, taking her with him as she hadn't released her grip. After one and a half turns, she was underneath him. He tried to reach her neck with his jaws, but she held her arm locked in position. There was a slight crunch as Jacob's throat began to collapse. He felt pain and weakness and with a final effort used his paw and slashed her throat open.

The gaping wounds were a distraction and she loosened her grip just enough. Jacob pulled free and bit through her clothing into her stomach. He gagged on the chunk of rotted flesh that he ripped from her body, spitting it across the room. Her single hand reflexively protected her abdominal injury, leaving her neck exposed. Jacob seized the opportunity and finished her.

He sank down on the pile of vampire dust, panting hard. His throat ached as well as his other injuries. He turned his head toward the spectators and growled in defiance. It would take more than a couple leeches to kill him.

He caught a glimpse of the yellow sundress from the corner of his eye, which drew his gaze up to her face. Several emotions were visible, but the most noticeable was pride. Jacob had no idea why she would be proud of him, maybe when they talked later he would ask.

-o-

Skylar and Crystal sat as quiet as church mice in the control room. The Prince's were in Noel's office arguing and they were trying hard to eavesdrop. Just then Dekka made her (late) grand appearance.

"What did I miss?" she asked loudly, reaching for a clipboard.

"Shhhh," Skylar and Crystal hissed. Dekka gave them a questioning look, but remained silent. Together the three of them listened to the conversation taking place.

"His sentence is death by vampire, Cloisonne," Noel shouted, "so get me more vampires!"

"I don't have the resources right now. There is only one complete team on the island and they need to stay here!"

"You better figure something out then. Father is coming back today and he'll be pissed if the fang banger is still alive."

There was a moment of silence, followed by the slamming of a door. The girls peered into the hallway and saw Cloisonne storming past them.

"This is going to be a crappy shift," Dekka said uneasily to her co-workers. "I hate it when Noel is in one of his moods."

Skylar breathed a sigh of relief. No more vampires meant Jacob was safe for the moment. Now she had to go home and talk to Lashly, which she wasn't looking forward to, at all.

* * *

**a/n: Brief explanation: I know that in Twilight, it's a little different.... BUT - If you've ever watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the Series), the vampires turn to dust when they are killed... So let's pretend that Jamaica is an extension of Sunnydale...**


	51. Chapter 51 We need 2 talk

**Chapter We Need 2 Talk**

Skylar stood outside the door of their apartment with her keys in hand. The whole walk home she'd been rehearsing what she was going to say to him and preparing herself for the responses that he would give, which knowing Lashly would be one syllable grunts.

The last thing she expected to see when she entered the apartment was the bouquet of blue and purple wildflowers. A pang of nostalgia went through her as she remembered their first date when he'd given her a similar arrangement. The anger inside her began to diminish as she inhaled the fresh scent of the flowers. There was no need to start a fight, she told herself. She should give him a chance to tell his story before jumping to conclusions.

She walked into the bedroom and saw him curled up in their bed, shirtless, wearing only a loose pair of gym shorts. She watched the slow rise and fall of his sides as he slept.

"Lash," Skylar said lightly as she climbed beside him. He groaned and turned her way, looking up at her with red bloodshot eyes complimented by a sea of yellow and purple bruising just beneath. His nose was skewed to the side revealing a large bump in the center.

"Hey," he mumbled and went to rub his eyes with the heel of his hand, wincing slightly as he pressed against the bruise.

"Let me see," Skylar moved his hand gently, examining the damage. She couldn't help noticing the redness in his eyes wasn't from being high, it was from tears. He never cried. Ever. Things must be worse than she thought. That cemented her decision not to say anything at least for today.

"How bad is it?" he asked.

"I've seen worse," she replied brushing back the hair that had fallen into his eyes.

"Feel anything yet?" he pressed his hand against her belly.

"Not yet," she felt the warm heat of her own tears welling. She didn't want to believe Kennard, but he was right. It wasn't going to happened in the near future. But she was going to keep that information to herself for the time being. There was no need to burden Lashly with any more bad news.

"So we'll keep trying," he gave her a small smile and pulled her against him. "Let's get some sleep first though, okay?"

Skylar curled up against him and closed her eyes. "Thank you for the flowers."

"I should be the one thanking you Skye. For everything," he kissed the top of her head lightly. "I was thinking maybe we could go back to Houston for awhile. Visit our families. Maybe drive down to the Gulf. What do you think?"

Skylar's eyes shot open at the mention of home. "You know I would LOVE to go back home," she sat up and looked him in the eye. "Why now?"

"I thought it might be nice to go before hurricane season. We could leave this week, if you want."

"What about our jobs?" Skylar asked.

"I'm sure they'll be here when we get back," he said tiredly.

"We're going home," Skylar smiled as she leaned over and kissed him.

"Whoa," Lashly grinned as Skylar climbed on top of him, trailing kisses down his torso. "I thought you'd be too tired."

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No, not at all," Lashly closed his eyes, enjoying the all too rare occurrence of Skylar-initiated affection.

-o-

"So," Rakeesh tightened his grip on Mia. "When do we get to meet the vampire?"

"He not available," Mia said simply.

"There's no vampire is there?" Na'ahkul asked staring hard at her.

Mia lowered her head, the half dried vomit in her hair swept against her cheek. She tilted her head to the side, letting the soiled locks hang over her shoulder. "There is," she admitted reluctantly, "but we…," How could she describe what happened between them to a stranger? How hard she tried to be exactly what he wanted, but never quite succeeded? She couldn't. She wouldn't. It was too personal.

"… prefer to work independently," she finished. "It's not The Society's preferred protocol, however it suits our situation."

"I see," Rakeesh and Na'ahkul exchanged a look and bantered back and forth in a language Mia didn't understand. Their voices got louder and louder, and Mia realized they were arguing.

With a rough shove, Rakeesh released her and angrily left the room slamming the door loudly behind him. Na'ahkul closed his eyes wincing, then opened the door, "Rakeesh!" he called loudly as he too went through the door. The remaining men stood there, looking around at each other – seemingly clueless now that their leaders had left.

Mia knew she should take this opportunity and disappear, but instead she went into the bathroom and began rinsing her hair. She sensed one of the men standing outside the door. She heard their voices, though she couldn't understand what they were saying, since it was in their native tongue.

If she left now, she could make it back to her sister's, help her with the door and get a good night's sleep. Besides, the spell should be wearing off shortly, and it's not like Na'ahkul was a threat. Mia toweled her hair somewhat dry, gathered her belongings and teleported back to the Hollow.

-o-

"skyyyyyy," Lashly groaned as her tongue swept over him. He relaxed his entire body. His hands fell open at his sides, his legs went limp as he enjoyed the wet sensation of her mouth on his erection.

"ohhhhh," he reached between his thighs for her head. His fingers brushed against her head and tangled themselves in her hair.

"You ready?" she asked, releasing him from her mouth.

"A little more," he looked down at her, "please…" He didn't finish his sentence. She'd already begun to transform. Her ultra soft fur brushed against his skin.

_Why?_ she rumbled, her silver eyes staring up at him.

Lashly sighed and sat up, pushing himself toward the edge of the bed. She rubbed her face against his legs, rumbling for him to 'hurry up'.

While he changed form, all he could think about was how nice it might be to be with her in their human form. But he knew that would never happen. There were a lot of things she should have mentioned _before_ they got married.

He knew what happened with the warlocks wasn't her fault, neither were the lasting psychological effects. He thought that with enough time, she might come around. But the exact opposite occurred. Until today, she hadn't done more than kiss him since their honeymoon and they were quickly approaching their one year anniversary.

She rumbled her insistence again.

He finished the transformation and obliged. It's not the he didn't like being with her like this, but there was that nagging part of him that yearned for the human connection. Maybe another time, he told himself as he sank his teeth into the scruff of her neck.

Her body trembled as she let out a low growl. Taking a firm hold around her body, he pressed himself inside her and began to thrust.

-o-

"Paxton!" Mia called out as she arrived in the back room of the shop.

"Sammie?" came her sister's surprised reply. "I didn't think you were coming back tonight," Paxton came around the corner pulling the curtain closed behind her. "And what the hell happened to your hair?"

"Na'ahkul puked on me," Mia wrinkled her nose at the faint scent of vomit.

Paxton crossed her arms and smiled, "This shit only happens to you."

"Yeah, and I'm getting a little tired of it," Mia sank down onto a chair.

"Come on," Paxton grabbed her sister's hand. "I'll wash your hair… _again."_

They went back through the curtain into the main area of the shop. Paxton turned all the lights back on and grabbed a few more towels from the shelf.

"The door is fixed," Mia noted.

"Mr. Roberts came by," Paxton explained. "I can't wait to see that bill."

"You should send it to Na'ahkul," Mia told her as she reclined back in the wash chair.

"I'm sure he'd love that," Paxton grinned.

"He certainly loved you," Mia teased.

"I seem to have a way with animals..," Paxton stuck her tongue out at Mia as she pushed her head back under the spray.

"You're a bitch," Mia laughed.

"Technically, you're the bitch," the blonde chuckled as she reached for the shampoo bottle. "And you're due for your flea bath…"

Mia laughed harder. The dog jokes never seemed to get old around her sister.

They were just finishing when the phone rang.

"Who could that be?" Paxton wondered aloud tossing a towel Mia's way as she made her way to the small desk. "Hello," she said as she answered the phone. "This is Paxton."

There was a long pause.

"Na'ahkul take a breath," Paxton half covered her face and began shaking her head from side to side.

"It should be wearing off anytime now."

"Na'ahkul.."

"Na'ahkul…"

"It wasn't the tea…well, it was, but…"

"Hold on a minute."

Paxton hit the mute button on the handset. Mia could hear him talking incessantly on the other end. "He's slightly hysterical," Paxton explained. "You might want to talk to him."

Mia groaned but accepted the handset her sister held out to her.

"Hey, Na'ahkul, it's Mia."

-o-

Lashly was on his side panting hard as Skylar curled her small body against his. She gently licked his face taking care around his sore muzzle.

Home.

Just the thought sent a wave of euphoria through her. There were so many things she wanted to so, so many people she wanted to visit. Plans swirled through her mind, phone calls, travel arrangements, packing…. There was so much to do!

She changed form quickly giving Lashly a quick rub on the shoulders. Skylar grabbed a sundress from the closet, tossing it over her head, "Are you hungry?" she asked her husband who was still on the floor.

"Haven't you been awake for over twenty-four hours?" was his reply.

"I guess," Skylar thought for a moment.

"We can eat later. Let's sleep a little bit," Lashly grunted as he peeled himself from the floor and crawled back into bed.

"I just want to call my mom first. Can I use your phone?"

"Sky, it's like 4am in Houston."

"She won't mind."

"Skylar, come lay down."

"Where's your phone?"

"Skylar…"

"It'll just take ten minutes."

"Skylar, please come lay with me."

"I will as soon as I'm done."

"FINE," Laskly growled as he threw his phone at her.

"What is your fucking problem?" the sting spread through her palms as she caught the phone.

"You are my problem. All I want is for you to lay down with me and you're finding every excuse not to."

"Lash, are you deaf? I said I would as soon as I called my mom."

She watched as Lashly got out of bed and put his shorts back on, he walked by her snatching the phone out of her hand.

"Where the hell are you going?" Skylar snapped. "The Barracks."

Lashly's fingers dug into the metal door handle as he opened and then shut the door. He couldn't go to the barracks.

"That's what I thought," Skylar said sadly. "You got fired didn't you?"

"Don't really want to talk about it," Lashly turned his back to her.

"Lash," Skylar reached out to rub his shoulders.

He shuddered away from her touch. "Weren't you going to call your mom?" He held out the phone, still not looking at her.

"Lash, come on…" Skylar wanted to do something to comfort him. She hated seeing him so miserable. He climbed back into bed curling up with the pillow. She was right behind him nestling herself against his back, wrapping her arms around him, taking one last glance over her shoulder at the small vase of wildflowers on the table.

"Remember, for better or worse," Skylar hugged him tightly.

"I know," his hand covered hers. "We should get some sleep."

Skylar closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against the warm skin on his back. Secretly she was thankful that this happened. His job had been the only thing tying them to Harper and this awful island. Skylar knew once she left for Houston she had no intention of ever coming back.

She daydreamed of how she would tell Noel to take her job and shove it up his ass, a smile growing on her lips as she envisioned his reaction. But the smile faded as another thought crossed her mind.

Jacob.

She couldn't bear to think about the things they would do to him once she was gone.

Fuck. She knew she couldn't leave… yet.

-o-

"You're going back?" Paxton asked her sister as Mia returned the handset to the cradle on the desk.

"He is such a baby," Mia snorted. "I told him the itching had nothing to do with your spell, but he's completely beyond comprehending anything at this point."

"He's itchy? That whole rant was because he's itchy." Paxton covered her mouth and laughed. "Seriously, Sammie where do you meet these people?"

"They find me, Pax. I'm a fucking freak magnet," Mia loaded up her magic bag and her blade.

"Hugs," Paxton opened her arms and embraced her sister. "Don't forget to call me. Even a simple 'hi, I'm alive' is greatly appreciated."

"I will," Mia hugged her sister, "Promise." She ran a hand over the bulging belly, "Bye-bye baby." Then she stepped away from Paxton and teleported once again.

**Chapter: Snap Crackle Pop**

Jacob laid on the stone floor of his cell. He opened his heavy eyelids, realizing that he must have fallen asleep. His surroundings hadn't changed. There was blood and vampire dust on the floor. The cell door was closed. The coffins were still open and against the wall, but the other wolves were no longer there.

He ran his hand over his stomach, and was happily surprised to see that he was completely healed. Reaching up to his throat, he pressed his forefinger and thumb tentatively against the sides feeling no pain. He wondered how long he must have slept. It only seemed like a short time, but his wounds were completely healed – so it must have been longer.

It was Jacob's thirst that made him get up and move to the door of the cell.

"Skylar!" he yelled loudly.

The side door began opening, and he smiled as he envisioned her bringing him gallons of water and plenty of food. But it wasn't Skylar that came through the door. It was Noel and some of the other men he'd seen earlier, dragging in another coffin. _Shit._ He frowned. They had another one.

"Careful," Cloisonne rumbled to the hunting team. "She is dangerous."

Prince Noel gave his brother a nasty glare.

Unlike earlier, Jacob noted there was much more tension in the air. He watched as the men were extra careful handling the coffin. No one spoke aloud, they communicated only through their rumbling language which Jacob was still struggling to understand. The doors opened again and three large black men entered the room. They looked a lot like the two men he'd come to know as Princes. Which made him wonder how many sons did this guy Harper have?

Jacob winced at the loudness of the rumbles. It seemed they were all talking at once. A few of the men phased and got into position. The countdown began again. Jacob's muscles flexed as he prepared to phase and fight the vampire.

The countdown ended and the latches to the coffin were unhooked. The men with that responsibility quickly jumped backward and phased.

The wolves were in position ready to spring.

For almost five seconds nothing happened.

A single rumble went through the air. One of the men changed back to human form and hesitantly stepped toward the coffin. With a hasty flip of his hand he knocked on the lid of the coffin.

Still nothing happened.

There was more rumbling.

"Is she dead?" someone asked.

"No," someone else replied.

"It's a trap," another voice added.

"Be careful," the deep sound came from one of the Princes.

The man in human form approached the coffin again. This time he took the lip of the top cover in his hands and flipped it open.

Faster than you could blink, a hand shot out of the coffin and ripped his throat open. He collapsed to the ground in a puddle of blood. One wolf bit into his shoulder and pulled him away from the coffin while the others surrounded it, growling fiercely.

Jacob stared at the injured man. His wound was serious, and Jacob doubted he would survive. He looked back over at the coffin, and followed the gazes of the other wolves to the ceiling. There she was, over twenty feet up looking down at them and laughing.

"Guten Tag," she announced loudly to the sea of wolves beneath her.

If it had been any other time, Jacob might have laughed out loud at her appearance. She reminded him of his parents old pictures from when they were married in the 1980's. Her dark hair was teased, or was it crimped? He couldn't quite remember which was which. Either way, it was big and stood at least six inches high. The amount of hairspray she must have used…. She wore a blue jean jacket that lost a fight to the Beadazzler, there were fake rhinestones everywhere. He couldn't quite see her the shirt she had on underneath, but it looked like it had Care Bears on it.

A vampire with a Care Bear shirt. That was pretty fucked up.

She had on skin tight jeans with blood stains. There was a huge rip in one of the legs and the bottom half of the other leg was shredded.

Shredded.

Jacob eyes narrowed as he realized she'd gone up against werewolves before. He looked over at the bleeding man on the floor. His body was still with no visible signs of life. Jacob took a breath, realizing that if she got inside this cell – he would be fighting for his life.

There was a clanging sound as she dropped from the ceiling to the side bars of the cell. Jacob looked up, meeting her eyes for the first time.

Her nostrils flared as she came closer, her eyes never leaving his. Jacob took a few steps back, hating the intimidation he felt from her beady stare.

Jacob shuddered, preparing to phase. He wasn't prepared for what happened next.

She came all the way down to the floor, snarling at the wolves who had formed a semi-circle around her.

"Jacob?" she spoke his name sluggishly through her thick accent.

He was stunned. How the fuck did she know his name?

"Jacob Black," she repeated slowly.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Femke," she smiled wide, showing off her sharp gleaming teeth.


	52. Chapter 52

**a/n: All Femke's dialogue is in German (courtesy of Google Translator). I didn't add the English translations on purpose (some of which are slightly different) because at this point in the story no one (including Jacob) has any idea what she's saying. **

* * *

Chapter: Snap Crackle Pop (con't)

"Are you part of the Volturi?" Jacob asked the vampire.

"Volturi, Ich würde nicht ein Teil, dass die Korruption," Femke sneered as she spit on the ground.

"Do you speak English?" Jacob stared at the blue eye shadow that came up to her eyebrows.

"Nie." She turned to the wolves behind her, "Öffnen Sie die Tür"

Jacob heard them rumble in confusion.

"Öffnen Sie die Tür!" she shouted louder grabbing the bars of the door and pulling against it. "Öffnen Sie die Tür!" Frustrated, Femke grabbed the nearest wolf by his forearm, snapping it in half before he had time to react. She pulled him forward slamming his head against the cell then released him. The dazed wolf collapsed to the floor.

A hint of fear rose inside Jacob when he saw the rest of the wolves begin to back away as she approached them. "Öffnen!" she shouted at them, pressing her hands together then opening them like a set of hinges. "Öffnen! Öffnen! Öffnen!" She continued to yell as she grabbed the unconscious wolf. Holding his snout in her hands she opened and closed his jaw repeatedly.

"Tür!" she dropped the wolf to the ground and banged on the cell door. "Tür, Tür, Tür!" she chanted hitting the bars with each word.

It became perfectly clear what she wanted. Jacob moved as far back in his cell as he could. The vampire knew who he was and she wanted to get inside the cell.

There was a loud rumble and Prince Noel shifted back to his human form. Flanked by a wolf on either side, he stepped forward. "I will open the door, vampire," he announced confidently meeting her eye.

She stepped back allowing him with reaching distance of the keypad. There was a click as the door unlocked.

"DANKE!" she threw her arms up in celebration.

Jacob was phased and ready when she set foot in the cell. He didn't charge forward like he had against the other vampires. Brute strength was not going to be enough against this one. She was _different_ than any other vampire he'd met. He wasn't sure how or why he knew that.

She took a few steps into the cell and the door slammed closed behind her. Jacob heard the collective sigh of relief from everyone outside the cell.

"Jacob, sitzen wir haben viel zu besprechen," Femke began as she approached the snarling figure. She had several questions to ask him about his power of mind control over the young girl who would soon be her daughter.

Jacob bared his teeth and backed away as she approached.

"Können wir nicht reden davon," she crossed her arms over her chest. A conversation between them would be impossible when he was in his animal shape.

With no knowledge of what she was saying, Jacob tried to read her body language. Right now she looked annoyed. It was how she looked before she slammed the wolf into the door. It was best to keep his distance, until he came up with a plan.

She kept advancing and he continued backing away, making sure to keep her in front of him. He didn't want to turn his back on her for a second.

After a few minutes of chasing the wolf around Femke moved to the center of the cell, "Stooooopppppp!" she screeched, holding the word out for as long as she could. Not only did Jacob freeze in place, but so did the rest of the wolves.

"wir sprechen jetzt," she addressed Jacob, "Sie werden mir sagen, von deiner Macht."

Jacob lowered his head, tensing his hindquarters in preparation for her attack.

"Ich will wissen, alle," Femke continued. "Dann vielleicht wirst du leben." She scratched her chin, and bit her lower lip thinking of how to proceed with the interrogation. She knew the wolf was nervous, the scent of his fear was increasing with each breath he took and so the vampire was moderately surprised when he lunged at her.

She let him tackle her, knock her to the floor. Hand to hand combat was much easier than the cat and mouse game they played earlier. She flinched slightly as his teeth sank into her bicep. While he concentrated on keeping her pinned beneath him, Femke reached around behind his neck. The fur at the scruff was thick and it took her a moment to find the vertebrae she wanted.

Snap

The wolf collapsed on top of her. With a forceful shove she threw him several feet, the bars of the cage were what stopped him from going further. He landed in a heap, lifting his head and snarling. Femke sat up and looked at the tear in her jacket.

She wasn't happy.

Decent vintage clothes were hard to come by.

And they weren't cheap either.

Jacob growled as he prepared to attack again. He thought hitting the bars would have hurt, but he didn't even feel it. In fact, he couldn't feel anything at all. He tried to get to his feet, but they wouldn't move. He concentrated hard, willing it to happen but it didn't. The wolf stared at his paw, focusing every ounce of energy to make it move but it just sat there, motionless. He watched as the vampire came closer, fingering the ripped sleeve of her jacket.

"I think she broke his neck…."

Jacob wasn't sure who spoke, but as he made his last frantic attempt to get on his feet he was fairly certain she had done just that. And he hadn't even felt it.

She came within a foot of him, squatting down on her heels. Her elbows rested on her thighs and she shook her head slowly at him, "Es tut mir leid." Then she reached out and ran her hand along his back, giving him a pat and a small smile. "Ich will dir nicht weh tun. Ich möchte Ihre Geheimnisse. Ich möchte der Impressumspflicht Magie lernen. Ich möchte all das Wissen von Nessie."

Of all the words she said, the only one he heard was **Nessie**.

* * *

**Don't lose faith, but things get worse before they get better.**


	53. Chapter 53 The People in your

Chapter The People in your Neighborhood

Leah snuck out the back door of the Cullen residence leaving Sam inside to face the police alone. There was a moment when she almost disobeyed his order, and if he had been Jacob she would have without a second thought. She knew she would never leave Jacob behind. But if someone was going to get arrested for desecrating a grave, let it be Sam. That bastard had it coming.

Once outside, she ran through the wooded area until she found a narrow trail. In spite of the rain and mud, it looked like it had been well traveled and so she decided to follow it. She kept in her human form, her feet covering ground at a swift pace.

She ducked under a fallen tree limb, and glanced back over her shoulder to see how much distance she'd put between herself and the house. In her next step something caught her foot. She felt herself falling forward and placed her hands in front of her to break her fall. But instead of hitting the ground she fell through something that felt like thick cardboard. Her head hit against something hard as she tumbled down into the hole.

As she fell, her arm caught a wire or piece of rope, she wasn't sure. There was a snapping sound and a soft crash. Leah hit the bottom of the hole face first. It took a few moments to recover from the impact. All around her was saturated earth. When she finally got to her feet, she realized she'd fallen close to fifteen feet. The crash she heard was a large fallen tree covering most of the opening.

Leah cursed to herself as she tried to scale the wet dirt to climb out, but she had trouble gripping the mud. It gave way under her weight. She pressed her hands against the sides, searching for roots which would be sturdier.

Several thoughts jumbled through her mind as she looked for a way to escape. The first and foremost was that this had to be a trap. No one digs a hole this deep and covers it just for shits & giggles. The Cullens must have done this – but why?

-o-

More waiting.

It seemed as though they'd been sitting in the airport for eternity. Rose checked the flight monitors for the twentieth time. Their flight to Heathrow was still on schedule. She looked around at the rest of the family. Bella and Alice looked ridiculous in their souvenir I (heart) NY t-shirts. Leave it to Bella to ruin the only shirt she'd brought with her. Not that Emmett was much better in his new Yankees jersey.

Rose walked a few steps toward the large counter near the gate. She checked her phone again, not that anything new had happened in the last thirty seconds but she felt as though she had to do something.

"Rosalie!" a voice exclaimed. "Rosalie Hale, is that you?"

The blonde spun around and came face to face with a middle aged woman whom she didn't recognize.

"You haven't changed a bit!" the woman covered her mouth with a gasp.

"I think you have the wrong person," Rose responded.

"Oh no, I could never forget you," the woman smiled, "It's me, Christine Miller."

Rose stared at the woman.

"We were sorority sisters, Alpha Phi, Boston University," the woman continued reaching out to embrace Rosalie.

_Christine Miller, her "Big" sister at Alpha Phi. _The vampire was caught off guard. _It had only been for one semester - and_ _that was twenty -something years ago!_

"OH MY GOD is that EMMETT!" Christine clapped her hands together. "You married him didn't you? I knew it! I knew it!"

"Uhhh, Christine," Rose managed to say as the woman headed across to where he was sitting.

"Emmett Cullen – look at YOU!" Christine exclaimed. "EXACTLY the same as I remember you."

At that loud declaration all the Cullens looked up at the woman, then over at Emmett who looked downright shell shocked.

Rose swallowed hard. This was not the time or the place for a damn class reunion.

-o-

"I don't think using the Council's laptop to Google "disposal of dead bodies" is a good idea," Embry frowned. "The police can track that stuff. I think it's called Cookies or something like that."

"Well we have to do something, Em. And speaking of cookies, are you hungry?" Quil replied.

"Not really. Looking at body parts made me lose my appetite," Embry replied.

"'Cause I'm freaking starving," Quil rubbed his stomach. "You mind if I run over to Sam's and scrounge up some snacks."

"You're gonna leave me here, alone with bits and pieces of … whoever," Embry cried with exasperation.

"I'll come back as fast as I can. Dude, seriously. I'm starving here."

"Whatever just go," Embry mumbled.

"Ten minutes – MAX," Quil replied as he dashed off through the trees.

_What a dick. _Embry crossed his arms over his chest. He moved a safe distance away from the tree, but stayed nearby in case anyone should come wandering through the woods.

He leaned against an old stump. The body filled tree with Carlisle carved in the side was a message, at least that's how he perceived it. Someone or something, killed a bunch of people, cut them up and stuffed them in a tree. Then tonight, they cut the tree down for the pack to find. What was the significance of tonight? The rainstorm? The other body they found? Did it have anything to do with the strange incident Leah had on her drive back from National Park? What if it had something to do with Jake?

Embry knew it had to be something. There had to be a common factor. But what?

-o-

Sam Uley cowered behind the front door of the Cullen residence. Every cell in his body told him to run and get the hell out of here. Unfortunately he was 99.9% sure the State Police had already run the license plate on the truck and knew it was his. He wasn't certain why they were here, but he knew he couldn't let them go to the reservation – to his house – it was too close to the … bodies.

He stood there watching them, one was in the car the other was inspecting every inch of the truck. His flashlight was incredibly bright, like a beacon in the dark night. Holding the light up to the driver's side window he peered inside the cab. Sam's heart dropped when he opened the door. _Shit. Leah didn't lock the doors!_

Sam opened the front door and stepped outside, making his way to the squad car. The officer in the car opened the door and got out.

"This your truck?" he called from his position in front of the police car.

"Yes, Officer," Sam replied as politely and calmly as he could. "Is there a problem?"

"Is there a problem," the officer repeated with a laugh glancing over at his partner.

"You're Samuel Uley, right?" the partner asked.

"Yes," Sam swallowed hard. His palms began to sweat.

The next few minutes happened so fast it made Sam's head spin. He was handcuffed and thrown in the back of the police car. The officers sped out of the Cullen's driveway on their way back to the State Police Barracks to process him.

"Guys like you make me sick," the officer driving the car commented.

"Officer, this is a mistake," Sam tried to explain again.

"Save it for the Judge, Uley," the officer in the passenger seat shot back.

"Yeah, Judge Connor HATES deadbeat dads," the other one sneered.

Sam was on the verge of tears. Apparently there was a warrant out for his father's arrest. He owed over ten thousand in back child support.

-o-

The pack was now down to seven. The remaining members were in the wooded area outside Sam's house. It was a chaotic meeting. There was no order, everyone spoke out of turn. The three leading members of the group were MIA and conspiracy theories were running wild.

Seth was especially upset that no one had heard from Leah. He insisted on going to the Cullen's to check on her and Sam. You never know, they might have killed each other. Paul felt it wasn't a good idea for anyone else to leave the Res. Jared agreed that their situation had an eerie resemblance to bad horror films. As soon as someone went off alone, they disappeared.

Quil disagreed. He'd gone to Sam's house alone. Collin and Seth had both been alone. Nothing had happened to any of them.

Finally it was Embry who came up with the only suggestion that remotely made sense. Everyone would phase and stay that way – at least until morning. It was the only way to assure constant contact. If anything happened to one of them, the entire pack would know immediately.

Embry and Seth phased and began their journey to the Cullen house to look for Leah and Sam.

Quil stayed alone to guard the bodies, since he was the only one who didn't care about the 'buddy' system.

Jared and Brady would patrol one half of the Res, Paul and Collin the other.

It was going to be a very long night for the pack.


	54. Chapter 54 Confused Much

Chapter Confused Much?

Mia's eyes slowly fluttered open and the first thing she saw was the white ceiling above her. With balled fists she rubbed her eyes. _Where am I?_

A sudden sense of déjà vous overcame her and she turned her head sharply to the side, expecting to find someone next to her. She was shocked to find was alone in the bed. Abruptly she sat up and scanned the room. A strange feeling overcame her, and she couldn't quite figure out what it was. Faint sunlight filtered through the blinds and she knew it instinctively it was sunrise. Her blade and her magic bag were on the dresser.

She opened her mouth to call out for someone, whose name she couldn't quite remember. But there was no one else here._ What the fuck?_ She muttered to herself, rubbing her hands over her face._ How the hell did I get here?_

Pulling back the covers, she realized she was naked. Her burnt clothes were on the floor next to the bed. The vague memory of the warlock came back. The demon, the fire…but what happened after that? Mia was sure she'd gone into stasis, but… She looked at the Blade resting peacefully.

"Did you bring me here?" she asked aloud. It wasn't as though BYR hadn't done stranger things in the past to keep her safe.

Mia picked up the garments from the floor. They were destroyed. Unwearable. She walked across the room and opened her Magic bag. She tried to keep a change of clothes because shit like this happened so much. But there wasn't anything inside. Then she remembered Lashly and barracks. She grinned to herself – she'd been wearing her spare clothes. Her smile turned to a frown as her head began to clear. Fisher. Lashly left her to check on his Team Member who was badly injured.

Mia took out her phone. She should probably call him to see how things were.

The hunter gasped when she saw the date and time on the phone. It was Saturday morning. She missed her mother's birthday!

-o-

Jacob watched as Femke paced around the cell. An hour ago, he could have sworn she was going to kill him. Slaughter him coldly, just like she'd done to the other two Lycans. But she hadn't, instead she sat next to him and _petted_ him very briefly. He had no idea what to think about that.

Femke made her way back to him, squatting down in front of him just like she had before.

"Besser fühlen?" she asked.

Jacob stared at her blankly. Even if he knew what she was saying he couldn't answer her.

She walked behind him and grabbed his hind leg. He watched from the corner of his eye as she lifted it, then released it watching as it hit the floor with a thud.

Jacob growled at her.

Femke sighed and grabbed the scruff of his neck. Jacob wanted to fight back, he tried to fight back but in this condition he was at her mercy.

She dropped him back on the floor in front of the pile of vampire dust.

"Hast du das getan?" she inquired with a frown. The wolf's brown eyes were absent of any response.

Femke knelt down on the floor and began to draw in the pile of dust.

Jacob watched as the vampire drew a stick figure in the dirt. She drew big curly hair, two eyes, a nose and a big smiley mouth with fangs.

"Femke," she said and pointed to herself.

Jacob snorted. He wasn't stupid.

She drew another figure. He watched as she popped a pair of rhinestones from her jacket to add to the face. The figure now had large twinkling green eyes.

"Egan," she told Jacob as she drew her hand holding his.

The wolf looked at her drawing. "Egan" didn't have fangs, so did that mean he wasn't a vampire?

The next stick figure she drew was much smaller and wore a triangle skirt.

"Nessie," she said with a smile.

Jacob looked up at the vampire. How did she know about Nessie? Did she know the Cullens?

She continued drawing. A large house now enclosed the three of them.

Then she moved to the other side of him, drawing a big animal-like figure with pointy ears and big teeth.

"Jacob," she told him as she drew the animal inside its own house.

He snarled as loud as he could. Filthy Bloodsuckers. No one was taking Nessie away from him.

-o-

Mia hastily called her sister. She couldn't believe that she'd been in stasis for this long. Paxton was probably worried sick about her. The cell phone went right to voice mail and so Mia tried the shop.

"Main Street Salon," Anna's chipper voice answered.

"Hi Anna, it's Mia. Can I talk to Paxton?"

"Hey stranger! Hold on a sec."

Mia groaned while she waited. Paxton needed to get better 'Hold' music. This stuff was terrible. After a short wait Anna came back on the line.

"She said she'll have to call you back," Anna reported. "She's with Mrs. DeMarco." Mrs. DeMarco was Paxton's first regular customer and expected to be treated like a queen.

"Did she sound _mad?_ Mia asked.

"No," Anna replied.

"Good. Thanks Anna." Mia disconnected the call. Now what to do about clothes.

Just as the thought crossed her mind she noticed a sundress hanging over the back of a chair. She picked it up and looked at it. It was the right size and looked new. Under the chair was a pair of the ugliest shoes she'd ever seen in her life. Mia looked at the clothing, trying hard to remember when and where she got these, but nothing came to mind. In fact, it seemed like there was a chunk of her memory missing.

Mia put on the dress and sat on the chair, slipping her feet in the shoes. She rested her head in her hands and concentrated, trying hard to reconstruct the events in the warlock's house.

-o-

Femke scowled at the werewolf. She thought he would be interested in her proposal.

Her original plan had been simple. Breach a territory border, attract the attention of a hunting team and interrogate them on the whereabouts of their fellow Lycan. Then she planned to slaughter them all, then Jacob and then go home to Egan and Nessie. She didn't plan on getting caught and stuck in that awful coffin for days. She'd never seen a contraption like that before, and she was no stranger to disable and transport.

But getting caught had been a blessing in disguise. It had given her time to think about the plans for her new daughter. It was clear that Jacob was an excellent nanny. He took wonderful care of Nessie and she seemed to enjoy being with him. Femke knew that she and Egan would need to travel frequently to hunt, and they would have had to hire a nanny anyway. It made sense to offer the job to the werewolf. And like the arrangement he had with the Cullens, she would provide him with his own residence, transportation and chef. It seemed only fair to give him that much.

However, there was still the issue of the mind control. The only way their situation would work is if he transferred the power to her. She was sure if she asked Egan to mark the werewolf, he would. By wearing the mark of a warlock, an entity was completely faithful to their master to the point where they would give their own life to protect him. Marking eliminated any threat of disobedience. It was the perfect solution.

Except the damn werewolf was not cooperating.

Femke scratched her head.

How to make him see that this arrangement was beneficial to everyone involved.

-o-

Mia tried to fill in the timeline.

She'd had dinner with Madelena and Pabiola at their home. Then she'd met their brother Thiago, had some wine, he fell in the fountain and they went to his "friend" aka the warlock's house. The demon wasn't the one she was looking for, then the warlock attacked her. She remembered being thrown around by his telekinesis and… she hit her head. That explained it. She must have some sort of amnesia from the impact. Great.

She held her phone in her hand, preparing to call Lashly. But as she scrolled through her messages, she was reminded that she hadn't finished her current job yet. Which meant before she did anything else, she needed to find that demon.

Gathering her things, she left the room and made her way to the front desk to check out. When the clerk told her she had paid in advance, she was surprised but signed the receipt anyway. Mia went through the main doors out into the bright sunny Brazilian morning. As she walked through the street, the delicious scent of breakfast permeated through the air. There was a small café ahead and she decided to stop and eat. Being on a job, you never knew if it was going to be your last meal or not.

At one of the tables, a group of dark skinned men were sitting together. Mia's nose twitched: Lycans.

She tried to make eye contact with them, but they were busy eating and talking among themselves. It wasn't a language she didn't know and so she let out a soft rumble as a greeting.

Instantly five pairs of eyes were on her. She smiled, albeit a little uncomfortably and waited for a response. One of the men rumbled back just as quietly. Mia looked at him, his dark eyes were so familiar…

"Do I know you?" she asked, hoping they might speak English.

The man said something in his native tongue which sounded apologetic.

She tried Spanish, but they didn't they speak that either. While she was still standing there, they returned to their conversation and meals. While she thought that was incredibly rude, the smell of their food was making her even hungrier. Which was strange considering she never ate meat.

Mia sat at an empty table and scanned through the brief menu. By the time the server came, the group of men were leaving. She watched as they walked past her table down the street, feeling a little foolish. There was no way she knew them.

-o-

"Kindermädchen," Femke said as she drew a line connecting the two houses. (according to Google Translator this word means 'nurse' but it can also mean 'nanny' or so I'm told)

Jacob raised an eyebrow. What she just said sounded like 'Kindergarten", was she implying that he was dumb? He watched as she continued drawing. Now there was a second figure in the house with him.

"Küchenchef," she said pointing to a female figure wearing a skirt and some kind of hat. Was that supposed to be a teacher? Jacob knew he hadn't finished high school, but what did that have to do with Nessie?

Now she was drawing something that resembled either a horse or a giraffe, depending on whether or not the neck was drawn to scale. Was this supposed to be a zoo? Jacob was completely lost.

Femke frowned at her handiwork. She had never been much of an artist and from the confusion in the werewolf's eyes he had no idea what she was trying to say. With both hands she angrily erased her drawings, scattered the dust everywhere. The werewolf sneezed as he inhaled the fine mist. Femke scowled. If only someone here spoke German.

"Kannst du Deutsch?" she asked loudly of the remaining Lycan spectators.

"Anyone speak German?" the Team Leader inquired.

The answer was no.

Femke humphed and sat down with her back against the cell wall. She tapped her fingers on the stone floor. Think. Think. She told herself. There had to be a way to make him understand.

-o-

When they were several blocks away from the cafe, the mentor turned to the younger Lycan.

"It worked," Rakeesh's broad grin covered his face. "See that Na'ahkul, Colleen's magic is brilliant."

"Yes, Colleen is magnificent," Na'ahkul agreed. Though his conscience felt otherwise, erasing someone's memory just seemed_ wrong._

"Thank ye," Colleen blushed as she opened the door for them. She was the first witch to join the rebellion. One of the few they'd found who weren't completely enamored with vampires.

"BUT," she continued, "the spell is only on her human side. When she changes form her memory will return."

"I don't see that as being a problem," Rakeesh smiled. "Na'ahkul said that she admitted to staying in her human form, for the magic."

"Let's hope that doesn't change," Colleen replied. "Now where's the other one?"

Na'ahkul handed her the business card.

"Main Street Salon in Oak Hollow, North Carolina," the witch read the card aloud. "Paxton Dougherty, Owner. So I'm traveling to the States?"

"Your flight leaves this evening," Rakeesh told her.


End file.
